LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

Class 


OF  THE 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


Class 


THE 

SIMPLE    COBLER 

OF 
AGGAWAMM  in  AMERICA. 

WILLING 

To  help  'mend  his  Native  Country,  la 
mentably  tattered^both  in  the  upper-Leather 
and  folc.with  all  the  honcft  ft  itches  be  can  take. 

And  as  willing  never  to  bee  paid  for  his  work, 
by  Old  Englifh  wonted  pay. 

It  is  bis  Trade  to  patch  all  they  ear  long,  gratis, 
Therefore  I  pray  Gentlemen  keep  your  purfes. 

By  Theodore  de  U  Guard. 
>  fourth  Edition^  withfomc  Amendments. 


In  rebus  trdnis  AC  tenri  fpe,  fortifsim* 
qtrt<iueco*fili*ttttifsima  funf. 


In  Englidi,  :  -;  ,>  :  •  .  ; 

When  bootes  awl  iliocs  arc  tornc  up  to  the  lett'i,  ' 
CoblerJ  rouft  thraft  their  awles  up  to  th 


This  Ji  no  time  to  feare  Aple*  grtmm  \ 

NeSutcr 


.    LONDON, 

Printed  by  J.  2>.  at  It.  /.  for  Styht*  BtfoteS.  at  the  fignc  of  the 
Bible  in  Popes  Head-  Alley,    1647.  " 


r-74- 


••  •*!!•**•* 

•  -•          -   *-     .    •  ?  •    * 


TO    THE 

READER 

Gentlemen, 

fray  wake  a  little  roorte  for  a 
Cobler,  \>u  work  WM^done  in  time, 
but  a  Jhip  fettiyg  Jayle  one  day 
too  foon  makes  it  appear  e  Jome 
weeks  too  late  •  Seeing  lee  is  Jo 
reafonablea*  to  demand  no  other 
pay  for  bit  labour  and  leather,  but  le<fi>i  to  pay  us 
reft/or  our  faults,  let  it  be  mil  accepted,  as  Coun^ 
fell  in  Mr  occajions  to  comeyand  a*  TsJKriUny  to  w1x& 

J     Ir0!   ^    ; 
By  a  Friend. 


224401 


SUTOR 
ULTRA  CREPIDAM. 


ITHER  I  am  in  an  Appoplexie,  or 
that  man  is  in  a  Lethargic,  who 
doth  not  now  fenfibly  feele  God 
fhaking  the  heavens  over  his  head, 
and  the  earth  under  his  feet:  The 
Heavens  fo,  as  the  Sun  begins  to 
turne  into  darkneffe,the  Moon  in 
to  blood,  the  Star  res  to  fall  down 
to  the  ground;  So  that  little  Light  of  Comfort  or 
Counfell  is  left  to  the  fonnes  of  men :  The  Earth  fo, 
as  the  foundations  are  failing,  the  righteous  fcarce 
know  where  to  finde  reft,  the  inhabitants  ftagger  like 
drunken  men :  it  is  in  a  manner  diffolved  both  in  Re 
ligions  and  Relations:  And  no  marvell;  for,  they 
have  defiled  it  by  tranfgreffing  the  Lawes,  changing 
the  Ordinances,  and  breaking  the  Everlafting  Cove 
nant.  The  Truths  of  God  are  the  Pillars  of  the 
world,  whereon  States  and  Churches  may  ftand 
quiet  if  they  will;  if  they  will  not,  Hee  can  eafily 
fhake  them  off  into  delufions,  and  diftractions  e- 
nough. 


Sathan 


The  Simple  CoUer  of 


Sathan  is  now  in  his  paffions,  he  feeles  his  paffion 
approaching;  hee  loves  to  fifh  in  royled  waters. 
Though  that  Dragon  cannot  fting  the  vitals  of  the 
Elect  mortally,  yet  that  Beelzebub  can  fly-blow  their 
Intellectuals  miferably:  The  Y  finer  Religion  grows, 
the  finer  hee  fpins  his  Cobwebs,  hee  will  hold  pace 
with  Chrift  fo  long  as  his  wits  will  ferve  him.  Hee 
fees  himfelfe  beaten  out  of  groffe  Idolatries,  Herefies, 
Ceremonies,  where  the  Light  breakes  forth  with 
power;  he  will  therefore  beftirre  him  to  prevaricate 
Evangelicall  Truths,  and  Ordinances,  that  if  they 
will  needs  be  walking,  yet  they  fhall  laborare  varici- 
bus,  and  not  keep  their  path,  he  will  put  them  out  of 
time  and  place;  Affaffinating  for  his  Engineers,  men 
of  Paracelfian  parts;  well  complexioned  for  ho- 
nefty;  for,  fuch  are  fitteft  to  Mountebanke  his 
Chimiftry  into  ficke  Churches  and  weake  Judge 
ments. 

Nor  fhall  hee  need  to  ftretch  his  ftrength  over 
much  in  this  worke:  Too  many  men  having  not 
laid  their  foundations  fure,  nor  ballafted  their  Spirits 
deepe  with  humility  and  feare,  are  preft  enough  of 
themf  elves  to  evaporate  their  owTne  apprehenfions. 
Thofe  that  are  acquainted  with  Story  know,  it  hath 
ever  beene  fo  in  new  Editions  of  Churches:  Such  as 
are  leaft  able,  are  moft  bufie  to  pudder  in  the  rubbifh, 
and  to  raife  duft  in  the  eyes  of  more  fteady  Repay- 
rers.  Civill  Commotions  make  roome  for  uncivill 
practifes:  Religious  mutations,  for  irreligious  opi 
nions:  Change  of  Aire,  difcovers  corrupt  bodies; 
Reformation  of  Religion,  unfound  mindes.  Hee  that 
hath  any  well-faced  phanfy  in  his  Crowne,  and  doth 

not 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  s 


not  vent  it  now,  fears  the  pride  of  his  owne  heart  will 
dub  him  dunce  for  ever.  Such  a  one  will  trouble  the 
whole  Ifrael  of  God  with  his  moft  untimely  births, 
though  he  makes  the  bones  of  his  vanity  ftick  up,  to 
the  view  and  grief e  of  all  that  are  godly  wife.  The 
devill  defiers  no  better  fport  then  to  fee  light  heads 
handle  their  heels,  and  fetch  their  carreers  in  a  time, 
when  the  Roofe  of  Liberty  ftands  open. 

The  next  perplexed  Queftion,  with  pious  and  pon 
derous  men,  will  be:  What  fhould  bee  done  for  the 
healing  of  thefe  comfortleffe  exulcerations.  I  am  the 
unableft  advifer  of  a  thoufand,  the  unworthieft  of  ten 
thoufand;  yet  I  hope  I  may  prefume  to  affert  what 
follows  without  juft  offence. 

Firft,  fuch  as  have  given  or  taken  any  unfriendly 
reports  of  us  New-Englifh,  fhould  doe  well  to  recol 
lect  themfelves.  Wee  have  beene  reputed  a  Colluvies 
of  wild  Opinionifts,  fwarmed  into  a  remote  wilder- 
nes  to  find  elbow-roome  for  our  phanatick  Doctrines 
and  practifes:  I  truft  our  diligence  paft,  and  conftant 
fedulity  againft  fuch  perfons  and  courfes,  will  plead 
better  things  for  us.  I  dare  take  upon  me,  to  bee  the 
Herauld  of  New-England  fo  farre,  as  to  proclaime  to 
the  world,  in  the  name  of  our  Colony,  that  all  Fami- 
lifts,  Antinomians,  Anabaptifts,  and  other  Enthufiafts 
fhall  have  free  Liberty  to  keepe  away  from  us,  and 
fuch  as  will  come  to  be  gone  as  faft  as  they  can,  the 
fooner  the  better. 

Secondly,  I  dare  averre,  that  God  doth  no  where 
in  his  word  tolerate  Chriftian  States,  to  give  Tolera 
tions  to  fuch  adverfaries  of  his  Truth,  if  they  have 
power  in  their  hands  to  fuppreffe  them. 

B  Here 


Tie  Simple  Colter  of 


Here  is  lately  brought  us  an  Extract  of  a  Magna 
Charta,  fo  called,  compiled  between  the  Sub-planters 
of  a  Weft-Indian  If  land;  whereof  the  firft  Article  of 
conftipulation,  firmly  provides  free  ftable-room  and 
litter  for  all  kinde  of  confciences,  be  they  never  fo 
dirty  or  jadifh;  making  it  actionable,  yea,  treaf on- 
able,  to  difturbe  any  man  in  his  Religion,  or  to  dif- 
commend  it,  whatever  it  be.  Wee  are  very  forry  to 
fee  fuch  profeffed  prophaneneffe  in  Enghfh  Profef- 
fors,  as  induftrioufly  to  lay  their  Religious  foundati 
ons  on  the  ruine  of  true  Religion ;  which  ftrictly  binds 
every  confcience  to  contend  earneftly  for  the  Truth:  to 
preferve  unity  of  fpirit,  Faith  and  Ordinances,  to  be  all 
like  minded,  of  one  accord;  every  man  to  take  his  bro 
ther  into  his  Chriftian  care:  to  ftand  fa  ft  with  one  fpi- 
rit9  with  one  mind,  ftriving  together  for  the  faith  of  the 
Go/pel,  and  by  no  meanes  to  permit  Herefies  or  er- 
ronious  opinions:  But  God  abhorring  fuch  loath- 
fome  beverages,  hath  in  his  righteous  judgement 
blafted  that  enterprize,  which  might  otherwise  have 
profpered  well,  for  ought  I  know;  I  prefume  their 
cafe  is  generally  knowne  ere  this. 

If  the  devill  might  have  his  free  option,  I  beleeve 
he  would  ask  nothing  else,  but  liberty  to  enfranchize 
all  falfe  Religions,  and  to  embondage  the  true;  nor 
fhould  hee  need:  It  is  much  to  be  feared,  that  laxe 
Tolerations  upon  State-pretences  and  planting  necef- 
fities,  will  be  the  next  fubtle  Stratagem  he  will  fpread 
to  diftate  the  Truth  of  God  and  fupplant  the  peace  of 
the  Churches.  Tolerations  in  things  tolerable,  ex- 
quifitely  drawn  out  by  the  lines  of  the  Scripture,  and 
penfill  of  the  Spirit,  are  the  facred  favours  of  Truth, 

the 


AGGAVVAM  in  America. 


the  due  latitudes  of  Love,  the  faire  Compartiments  of 
Chriftian  fraternity :  but  irregular  difpenfations,  dealt 
forth  by  the  facilities  of  men,  are  the  frontiers  of  er 
ror,  the  redoubts  of  Schifme,  the  perillous  irritaments 
of  carnall  and  fpirituall  enmity. 

My  heart  hath  naturally  detefted  f  oure  things :  The 
itanding  of  the  Apocrypha  in  the  Bible;  Forrainers 
dwelling  in  my  Countrey,  to  crowd  out  native  Sub 
jects  into  the  corners  of  the  Earth;  Alchymized 
coines;  Tolerations  of  divers  Religions,  or  of  one 
Religion  in  fegregant  fhapes:  He  that  willingly  af- 
fents  to  the  laft,  if  he  examines  his  heart  by  day-light, 
his  confcience  will  tell  him,  he  is  either  an  Atheift,  or 
an  Heretique,  or  an  Hypocrite,  or  at  beft  a  captive  to 
fome  Luft:  Poly-piety  is  the  greateft  impiety  in  the 
world.  True  Religion  is  Ignis  probationis,  which  doth 
congregare  homogenea  &  fegregare  heterogenea. 

Not  to  tolerate  things  meerly  indifferent  to  weak 
confciences,  argues  a  confcience  too  ftrong:  preffed 
uniformity  in  thefe,  caufes  much  difunity:  To  tole 
rate  more  then  indifferents,  is  not  to  deale  indifferent 
ly  with  God :  He  that  doth  it,  takes  his  Scepter  out  of 
his  hand,  and  bids  him  ftand  by.  Who  hath  to  doe  to 
inftitute  Religion  but  God.  The  power  of  all  Religion 
and  Ordinances,  lies  in  their  purity:  their  purity  in 
their  fimplicity:  then  are  mixtures  pernicious.  J  lived 
in  a  City,  where  a  Papift  preached  in  one  Church,  a 
Lutheran  in  another,  a  Calvinift  in  a  third;  a  Luthe 
ran  one  part  of  the  day,  a  Calvinift  the  other,  in  the 
fame  Pulpit:  the  Religion  of  that  place  was  but  mot- 
ly  and  meagre,  their  affections  Leopard-like. 

If  the  whole  Creature  fhould  confpire  to  doe  the 

B  2  Crea- 


6  The  Simple  Colter  of 

Creator  a  mifchiefe,  or  offer  him  an  infolency,  it 
would  be  in  nothing  more,  than  in  erecting  untruths 
againft  his  Truth,  or  by  fophifticating  his  Truths 
with  humane  medleyes:  the  removing  of  fome  one 
jota  in  Scripture,  may  draw  out  all  the  life,  and  tra- 
verfe  all  the  Truth  of  the  whole  Bible:  but  to  autho- 
rife  an  untruh,  by  a  Toleration  of  State,  is  to  build  a 
Sconce  againft  the  walls  of  heaven,  to  batter  God  out 
of  his  Chaire:  To  tell  a  practicall  lye,  is  a  great  fin, 
but  yet  tranfient;  but  to  fet  up  a  Theoricall  untruth,  is 
to  warrant  every  lye  that  lyes  from  its  root  to  the  top 
of  every  branch  it  hath,  which  are  not  a  few. 

I  would  willingly  hope  that  no  Member  of  the 
Parliament  hath  skilfully  ingratiated  himfelfe  into  the 
hearts  of  the  Houfe,  that  he  might  watch  a  time  to 
midwife  out  fome  ungracious  Toleration  for  his  own 
turne,  and  for  the  fake  of  that,  fome  other,  I  would 
alfo  hope  that  a  word  of  generall  caution  fhould  not 
be  particularly  mif applied.  I  am  the  freer  to  fuggeft 
it,  becaufe  I  know  not  one  man  of  that  mind,  my  aime 
is  generall,  and  I  defire  may  be  fo  accepted.  Yet  good 
Gentlemen,  look  well  about  you,  and  remember  how 
Tiberius  play'd  the  Fox  with  the  Senate  of  Rome,  and 
how  Fabius  Maximus  cropt  his  ears  for  his  cunning. 

That  State  is  wife,  that  will  improve  all  paines  and 
patience  rather  to  compofe,  then  tolerate  differences  in 
Religion.  There  is  no  divine  Truth,  but  hath  much 
Cceleftiall  fire  in  it  from  the  Spirit  of  Truth:  nor  no 
irreligious  untruth,  without  its  proportion  of  Antifire 
from  the  fpirit  of  Error  to  contradict  it:  the  zeale  of 
the  one,  the  virulency  of  the  other,  muft  neceffarily 
kindle  Combuftions.  Fiery  difeafes  feated  in  the 

fpirit, 


AGGAVVAM  in  America. 


fpirit,  imbroile  the  whole  frame  of  the  body:  others 
more  externall  and  coole,  are  leffe  dangerous.  They 
which  divide  in  Religion,  divide  in  God;  they  who 
divide|in  him,  divide  beyond  Genus  Generali/fimum, 
where  there  is  no  reconciliation,  without  atonement; 
that  is,  without  uniting  in  him,  who  is  One,  and  in 
his  Truth,  which  is  alfo  one. 

*  -.Wife  are  thofe  men  who  will  be  perfwaded  rather 
to  live  within  the  pale  of  Truth  where  they  may  bee 
quiet,  than  in  the  purlieves,  where  they  are  fure  to  be 
hunted  ever  &  anon,  do  Authority  what  it  can.  Every 
fingular  Opinion,  hath 'a  fingular  opinion'of  it  felf ;  and 
he  that  holds  it  a  fingular  opinion  of  himfelf ,  &  a  f im- 
ple  opinion  of  all  contra-fentients :  he  that  confutes 
them,  muft  confute  al  three  at  once,  or  elfe  he  does  no 
thing;  which  will  not  be  done  without  more  ftir  than 
the  peace  of  the  State  or  Church  can  indure. 

And  prudent  are  thofe  Chriftians,  that  will  rather 
give  what  may  be  given,  then  hazard  all  by  yeelding 
nothing.  To  fell  all  peace  of  Country,  to  buy  fome 
peace  of  confcience  unfeafonably,  is  more  avarice  than 
thrift,  imprudence  than  patience :  they  deal  not  equal 
ly,  that  fet  any  Truth  of  God  at  fuch  a  rate;  but  they 
deal  wifely  that  will  ftay  till  the  Market  is  fallen. 

My  prognof ticks  deceive  me  not  a  little,  if  once 
within  three  feaven  years,  peace  prove  not  fuch  a  pen 
ny-worth  at  moft  Marts  in  Chriftendome,  that  'hee 
that  would  not  lay  down  his  money,  his  luft,  his  opi 
nion,  his  will,  I  had  almoft  faid  the  beft  flower  of  his 
Crowne  for  it,  while  he  might  have  had  it;  will  tell 
his  own  heart,  he  plaid  the  very  ill  husband. 

Concerning  Tolerations  I  may  further  affert. 

B  3  That 


8  The  Simple  Cobler  of 

That  Perfecution  of  true  Religion,  and  Toleration 
of  f  alfe,  are  the  Jannes  and  Jambres  to  the  Kingdome 
of  Chrift,  whereof  the  la  ft  is  farre  the  worft.  Augu- 
ftines  tongue  had  not  owed  his  mouth  one  penny-rent 
though  he  had  never  fpake  word  more  in  it,  but  this, 
Nullum  malum  pejus  libertate  errandi. 

Frederick  Duke  of  Saxon,  fpake  not  one  foote  be 
yond  the  mark  when  he  faid.  He  had  rather  the  Earth 
fhould  fwallow  him  up  quick,  then  he  fhould  give  a 
toleration  to  any  opinion  againft  any  truth  of  God. 

He  that  is  willing  to  tolerate  any  Religion,  or  dif- 
crepant  way  of  Religion,  befides  his  own,  unleffe  it 
be  in  matters  meerly  indifferent,  either  doubts  of  his 
own,  or  is  not  fincere  in  it. 

He  that  is  willing  to  tolerate  any  unfound  Opinion, 
that  his  own  may  alfo  be  tolerated,  though  never  fo 
found,  will  for  a  need  hang  Gods  Bible  at  the  Devills 
girdle. 

Every  Toleration  of  falfe  Religions,  or  Opinions 
,  hath  as  many  Errours  and  fins  in  it,  as  all  the  falfe 
Religions  and  Opinions  it  tolerats,  and  one  found 
one  more. 

That  State  that  will  give  Liberty  of  Confcience  in 

,   matters  of  Religion,  muft  give  Liberty  of  Confcience 

and  Converfation  in  their  Morall  Laws,  or  elfe  the 

Fiddle  will  be  out  of  tune,  and  fome  of  the  ftrings 

crack. 

He  that  will  rather  make  an  irreligious  quarell  with 
other  Religions  then  try  the  Truth  of  his  own  by  va 
luable  Arguments,  and  peaceable  Sufferings;  either 
his  Religion,  or  himfelfe  is  irreligous. 

Experience  will  teach   Churches  and   Chriftians, 

that 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  9 


that  it  is  farre  better  to  live  in  a  State  united,  though 
a  little  Corrupt,  then  in  a  State,  whereof  fome  Part 
is  incorrupt,  and  all  the  reft  divided. 

I  am  not  altogether  ignorant  of  the  eight  Rules  gi 
ven  by  Orthodox  divines  about  giving  Tolerations, 
yet  with  their  favour  I  dare  affirme, 

That  there  is  no  Rule  given  by  God  for  any  State 
to  give  an  affirmative  Toleration  to  any  falfe  Religi 
on,  or  Opinion  whatfoever;  they  muft  connive  in 
fome  Cafes,  but  may  not  concede  in  any. 

That  the  State  of  England  (fo  farre  as  my  Intelli 
gence  ferves)  might  in  time  have  prevented  with  eafe 
and  may  yet  without  any  great  difficultie  deny  both 
Toleration,  and  irregular  connivences  falva  Republica. 

That  if  the  State  of  England  fhall  either  willingly 
Tolerate,  or  weakly  connive  at  fuch  Courfes,  the 
Church  of  that  Kingdome  will  fooner  become  the 
Devils  dancing-Schoole,  then  Gods  Temple:  The 
Civill  State  a  Beare-garden,  then  an  Exchange:  The 
whole  Realme  a  Pais  bafe  then  an  England.  And 
what  pity  it  is,  that  that  Country  which  hath  been  the 
Staple  of  Truth  to  all  Chriftendome,  fhould  now  be 
come  the  Aviary  of  Errors  to  the  whole  world,  let 
every  fearing  heart  judge. 

I  take  Liberty  of  Confcience  to  be  nothing  but  a 
freedome  from  fmne,  and  error.  Confcientia  in  tantum 
libera,  in  quantum  ab  errore  liberata.  And  Liberty  of 
Errour  nothing  but  a  Prifori  for  Confcience.  Then 
fmall  will  be  the  kindneffe  of  a  State  to  build  fuch  Pri- 
fons  for  their  Subjects. 

The  Scripture  faith,  there  is  nothing  makes  free  but 
Truth,  and  Truth  faith,  there  is  no  Truth  but  one: 

If 


10  The  Simple^Cobler  of 

If  the  States  of  the  World  would  make  it  their  fumm- 
operous  Care  to  preferve  this  One  Truth  in  its  purity 
and  Authority  it  would  eafe  you  of  all  other  Politi- 
call  cares.  I  am  fure  Sathan  makes  it  his  grand,  if  not 
only  taske,  to  adulterate  Truth;  Falfhood  is  his  fole 
Scepter,  whereby  he  firft  ruffled,  and  ever  fince  ruined 
the  World. 

If  Truth  be  but  One,  me  thinks  all  the  Opinionifts 
in^England  fhould  not  be  all  in  that  One  Truth,  fome 
ofathem  I  doubt  are  out.  He  that  can  extract  an  unity 
out  of  fuch  a  difparity,  or  contract  fuch  a  difparity  in 
to  an  unity;  had  need  be  a  better  Artift,  then  ever  was 
Drebell. 

If  two  Centers  (as  we  may  fuppofe)  be  in  one  Cir 
cle,  and  lines  drawn  from  both  to  all  the  points  of  the 
Compaffe,  they  will  certainly  croffe  one  another,  and 
probably  cut  through  the  Centers  themf elves. 

There  is  talk  of  an  univerfall  Toleration,  I  would 
talke  as  loud  as  I  could  againft  it,  did  I  know  what 
more  apt  and  reafonable  Sacrifice  England  could  offer 
to  God  for  his  late  performing  all  his  heavenly  Truths 
then  an  univerfall  Toleration  of  all  hellifh  Errors,  or 
how  they  fhall  make  an  univerfall  Reformation,  but 
by  making  Chrifts  Academy  the  Divills  Univerfity, 
where  any  man  may  commence  Heretique  per  faltum; 
where  he  that  is  filius  Diabolicus,  or  fimpliciter  pef- 
fimus,  may  have  his  grace  to  goe  to  Hell  cum  Publico 
Privilegio;  and  carry  as  many  after  him,  as  he  can. 

Religio  docenda  eft,  non  coercenda  is  a  prety  piece  of 
album  Latinum  for  fome  kinde  of  throats  that  are  wil 
lingly  fore,  but  Hcerefis  dedocenda  eft  non  permittenda9 
will  be  found  a  farre  better  Diamoron  for  the  Gar- 

garifmes 


AGGAVVAM  in  America. 


11 


garifmes  this  Age  wants,   if  timely  and  throughly 
applyed. 

If  there  be  roome  in  England  for 


TAmilift$ 

r  M.tnes 

libettipes 

Lemures 

Antitrinittriaw 

Dtyacfes 

r 

Jnabaptifts 

Potamidts 

Amifcripturifls 

Ntiadcs 

Artnini&n* 

HinniJts 

Millinaries 

the    rom 

L         fnr        < 

Pierides 

Nereides 

Afltinom&fls 

*             iv/i 

Pales 

Swim*** 

Anonides 

Arrians 

ParcAdes 

*  By  Brownifts 

Perfetlifts 

I  mean  not  In 
dependents,  be- 

Religious 

Brorvnifts  * 
Mortalians 

Monides 
Charites 

dew-clawd  Se- 
peratifts:  far 
be  it  from  me 

Men  but 
pernicious 
Heretiques 

Seekers 

Good  Spi- 
rits,but  ve 
ry  Devils. 

Pega  fides. 

&c* 

to  wrong  godly 
Independents 
I  truely  ac 
knowledge 
that  I  judge 

"                                 •»                      -*^    -  — 

my  felf  neither 

In* 

\  word  room  for  Hell  above  ground. 

able  nor  wor 
thy  to  honour 

fome  of  them 

Tt  ic  {'air' 

TVirmo-Vi  fl  mjin  liavp  liVVit  enoiiO"h  himffl 

•     as  they  deferve 

to  fee  the  Truth,  yet  if  he  hath  not  enough  to  enligh 
ten  others,  he  is  bound  to  tolerate  them,  I  will  engage 
my  felf,  that  all  the  Devills  in  Britanie  f hall  fell  them- 
felves  to  their  fhirts,  to  purchafe  a  Leafe  of  this  Pofi- 

C  tion 


Tie  Simple  Colter  of 


tion  for  three  of  their  Lives,  under  the  Seale  of  the 
Parliament. 

It  is  faid,  That  Men  ought  to  have  Liberty  of  their 
Conference,  and  that  it  is  perfecution  to  debarre  them 
of  it:  I  can  rather  ftand  amazed  then  reply  to  this: 
it  is  an  aftonifhment  to  think  that  the  braines  of  men 
fhould  be  parboyl'd  in  fuch  impious  ignorance;  Let 
all  the  wits  under  the  Heavens  lay  their  heads  toge 
ther  and  finde  an  Affertion  worfe  then  this  (one  ex- 
cepted)  I  will  petition  to  be  chofen  the  univerfall  I- 
deot  of  the  world. 

It  is  faid,  That  Civill  Magiftrates  ought  not  to 
meddle  with  Ecclefiafticall  matters. 

I  would  anfwer  to  this  fo  well  as  I  could,  did 
I  not  know  that  fome  papers  lately  brought  out  of 
New- England,  are  going  to  the  Preffe,  wherein  the 
Opinions  of  the  Elders  there  in  a  late  Synod,  concer 
ning  this  point  are  manifefted,  which  I  fuppofe  will 
give  clearer  fatisf action  then  I  can. 

The  true  Englifh  of  all  this  their  f alfe  Latine,  is  no 
thing  but  a  generall  Toleration  of  all  Opinions; 
which  motion  if  it  be  like  to  take,  it  were  very  requi- 
fite,  that  the  City  would  repaire  Pauls  with  all  the 
fpeed  they  can,  for  an  Englifh  Pantheon,  and  beftow 
it  upon  the  Sectaries,  freely  to  affemble  in,  then  there 
may  be  fome  hope  that  London  will  be  quiet  in  time. 

But  why  dwell  I  fo  intolerable  long  about  Tolera 
tions,  I  hope  my  fears  are  but  panick,  againft  which 
I  have  a  double  cordiall.  First,  that  the  Parliament 
will  not  though  they  could:  Secondly,  that  they  can 
not  though  they  would  grant  fuch  Tolerations.  God 
who  hath  fo  honoured  them  with  eminent  wifdome 

in 


AGGAVVAM  in  dmtrica.  is 


in  all  other  things,  will  not  fuffer  them  to  caft  both 
his,  and  their  Honour  in  the  duft  of  perpetuall  Infa 
my,  doe  what  they  can;  nor  fhall  thofe  who  have 
fpent  fo  great  a  part  of  their  fubftance  in  redeeming 
their  Civill  Liberties  from  Ufurpation,  lofe  all  that 
remaines  in  enthralling  their  fpirituall  Liberty  by  To 
leration. 

It  is  faid  Opinionifts  are  many,  and  ftrong,  that  de 
funt  Vires,  that  it  is  turbata  respublica,  I  am  very  for- 
ry  for  it,  but  more  forry,  if  defpondency  of  minde 
fhall  caufe  the  leaft  tergiverfation  in  Gods  Worthies, 
who  have  receiv'd  fuch  pledges  of  his  prefence  in  their 
late  Counfels,  and  Conflicts.  It  is  not  thoufands  of  O- 
pinionifts  that  can  pinion  his  Everlafting  armes,  I  can 
hardly  beleeve  there  is  a  greater  unbeleever  then  my 
Selfe,  yet  I  can  verily  beleeve  that  the  God  of  Truth 
will  in  a  fhort  time  fcatter  them  all  like  fmoake  be 
fore  the  wind.  I  confeffe  I  am  troubled  to  fee  Men 
fo  over-troubled  about  them;  I  am  rather  glad  to 
heare  the  Devill  is  breaking  up  houfe  in  England,  and 
removing  fomewhither  elfe,  give  him  leave  to  fell  all 
his  rags,  and  odde-ends  by  the  out-cry;  and  let  his 
petty  Chapmen  make  their  Market  while  they  may, 
upon  my  poore  credit  it  will  not  laft  long.  Hee  that 
hath  done  fo  much  for  England  will  go  on  to  perfect 
his  owne  praife,  and  his  Peoples  Peace:  Let  good 
men  ftand  ftill,  and  behold  his  further  Salvation.  He 
that  fitteth  in  the  Heavens  laughs  at  them,  the  moft 
High  hath  them  in  Derifion,  and  their  folly  fhall  cer 
tainly  be  manifefted  to  all  men. 

Yet  I  dare  not  but  adde,  and  in  the  Name  of  God 
will  adde,  that  if  any  Publique  members  of  Church  or 

C  2  State, 


14  The  Simple  Colter  of 

State,  have  been  either  open  fautors,  or  private  abet- 
ters  of  any  blafphemous,  contagious  Opinions,  It  will 
be  their  wifdome  to  proportion  their  repentance  to 
their  Sin,  before  God  makes  them  Publique  monu 
ments  of  Ignominie,  and  Apoftafie. 

Thirdly,  That  all  Chriftian  States,  ought  to  dif- 
avow  and  decry  all  fuch  Errors,  by  fome  peremp 
tory  Statutary  Act,  and  that  in  time,  that  Subjects 
knowing  fully  the  minde  of  the  State,  might  not  de 
lude  themfelves  with  vaine  hopes  of  unfufferable 
Liberties.  It  is  leffe  to  fay,  Statuatur  veritas,  mat 
Regnum,  than  Fiat  juftitia,  ruat  Ccelum;  but  there  is  no 
fuch  danger  in  either  of  them.  Feare  nothing  Gentle 
men,  Rubiconemtranfiiftis,  jacta  eft  alea,  ye  have  turned 
the  Devill  out  of  doores;  fling  all  his  old  parrell  after 
him  out  at  the  windows,  left  he  makes  another  errand 
for  it  againe.  Quw  relinquuntur  in  morbis  poft  indica- 
tionem,  recidivas  facer e  conf never e.  Chrift  would  have 
his  Church  without  fpot  or  wrinckle;  They  that  help 
make  it  fo,  fhall  lofe  neither  honour  nor  labour:  If 
yee  be  wife,  fuffer  no  more  thorns  in  his  fides  or  your 
owne.  When  God  kindles  fuch  fires  as  thefe,  hee 
doth  not  ufually  quench  them,  till  the  very  fcum  on 
the  pot  fides  be  boy  led  cleane  away,  Ezek.  24.  10,  11. 
Yee  were  better  to  doe  it  your  felves,  than  leave  it  to 
him:  the  Arme  of  the  Lord  is  mighty,  his  hand  very 
heavy;  who  can  dwell  with  his  devouring  fire,  and 
long  lafting  burnings  ? 

Fourthly,  to  make  fpeedy  provifion  againft  Ob- 
ftinates  and  Diffeminaries :  where  under  favour,  two 
things  will  be  found  requifite.  First,  variety  of  pe- 
naltyes,  I  meane  certaine,  not  indefinite:  I  am  a 

Crabbat 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  15 


Crabbat  againft  Arbitrary  Government.  Experi 
ence  hath  taught  us  here,  that  political!,  domefticall, 
and  perfonall  refpects,  will  not  admit  one  and  the 
fame  remedy  for  all,  without  fad  inconveniences.  Se 
condly,  juft  feverity:  perfecution  hath  ever  fpread 
Truth,  profecution  fcattered  Errour:  Ten  of  the  moft 
Chriftian  Emperors,  found  that  way  beft;  Schollars 
know  whom  I  meane:  Five  of  the  ancient  Fathers 
perfw^aded  to  it,  of  whom  Auguftine  was  one,  who 
for  a  time  argued  hard  for  indulgency :  but  upon  con 
ference  with  other  prudent  Bifhops,  altered  his  judge 
ment,  as  appears  in  three  of  his  Epiftles,  to  Marcelli- 
nus,  Donatus,  and  Boniface.  I  would  be  underftood, 
not  onely  an  Allower,  but  an  humble  Petitioner,  that 
ignorant  and  tender  confcienced  Anabaptifts  may 
have  due  time  and  means  of  conviction. 

Fifthly,  That  every  Prophet,  to  whom  God  hath 
given  the  tongue  of  the  learned,  fhould  teach,  and  e- 
very  Angel  who  hath  a  pen  and  inkehorne  by  his 
fide  write  againft  thefe  grieving  extravagancies: 
writing  of  many  books,  I  grant  is  irkefome,  reading 
endleffe.  A  reaf enable  man  would  thinke  Divines 
had  declaimed  fufficiently  upon  thefe  Themes.  I  have 
ever  thought  the  Rule  given,  Titus  3.  10.  which  cuts 
the  work  fhort  and  fharpe  to  be  more  properly  pre 
valent,  then  wearifome  waiting  upon  unweariable 
Spirits.  It  is  a  most  toylfome  taske  to  run  the  wild- 
goofe  chafe  after  a  well-breath 'd  Opinionift:  they 
delight  in  vitilitigation :  it  is  an  itch  that  loves  alife 
to  be  fcrub'd:  they  defire  not  fatisf action,  but  fatif- 
diction,  whereof  themfelves  muft  be  judges:  yet  in 
new  eruptions  of  Error  with  new  objections,  filence 
is  finfull.  C  3  As 


ic  The  Simple  Colter  of 

As  for  my  felf,  I  am  none  of  the  difputers  of  this 
world:  all  I  can  doe,  is  to  gueffe  when  men  fpeak 
true  or  f alfe  Divinity :  if  I  can  but  finde  the  parentall 
root,  or  formall  reafon  of  a  Truth,  I  am  quiet;  if  I 
cannot,  I  fhore  up  my  f  lender  judgement  as  long  as 
I  can,  with  two  or  three  the  handfomeft  props  I  can 
get:  I  fhall  therefore  leave  Arguments  to  acuter 
heads,  and  onely  fpeak  a  word  of  Love,  with  all 
Chriftian  refpect  to  our  deare  Brethren  in  England, 
which  are  againft  Baptizing  of  Infants:  I  intreate 
them  to  confider  thefe  few  things  feriouf ly  and  meek 
ly.  Firft,  what  a  high  pitch  of  boldneffe  it  is  for  man 
to  cut  a  principall  Ordinance  out  of  the  Kingdome  of 
God;  If  it  be  but  to  make  a  dif location,  which  fo 
far  difgoods  the  Ordinance,  I  feare  it  altogether  un- 
hallows  it,  to  tranfplace  or  tranftime  a  ftated  Inftitu- 
tion  of  Chrift,  without  his  direction,  I  thinke,  is  to 
deftroy  it.  Secondly,  what  a  Cruelty  it  is  to  de- 
veft  Children  of  that  onely  externall  priviledge 
which  their  heavenly  Father  hath  bequeathed  them 
to  intereft  them  vifibly  in  Himfelfe,  His  Son,  His 
Spirit,  His  Covenant  of  Grace,  and  the  tender  bo- 
fome  of  their  carefull  Mother  the  Church.  Thirdly, 
what  an  Inhumanity  it  is,  to  deprive  Parents  of  that 
comfort  they  may  take  from  the  baptifme  of  their  In 
fants  dying  in  their  Childehood.  Fourthly,  How 
unfeafonable  and  unkindly  it  is,  to  interturbe  the 
State  and  Church  with  thefe  Amalekitifh  on-fets, 
when  they  are  in  their  extreame  pains  of  travell  with 
their  lives.  Fifthly,  to  take  a  through  view  of  thofe 
\vho  have  preambled  this  by  path.  Being  fometimes 
in  the  Crowds  of  foraigne  Wederdopers,  that  is, 

Ana- 


AGGAVVAM  in,  America.  17 


Anabaptifts;  and  prying  into  their  inward  frames 
with  the  beft  eyes  I  had ;  I  could  not  but  obferve  thefe 
difeuifed  guifes  in  the  generality  of  them. 

Firft,  a  flat  formality  of  Spirit  without  fait  or  fa 
vour  in  the  fpiritualties  of  Chrift,  as  if  their  Religion 
began  and  ended  in  their  Opinion.  Secondly,  a  fhal- 
low  flighting  of  fuch  as  difcent  from  them,  appearing 
too  often  in  their  faces,  fpeeches  and  carriages.  Third 
ly,  a  feeble,  yet  peremptory  obftinacy;  feldome  are 
any  of  them  reclaimed.  Fourthly,  a  fhamefull  fliding 
into  other  fuch  tarpauling  tenets,  to  keep  themf elves 
dry  from  the  fhowers  of  luftice,  as  a  rationall  minde 
would  never  entertain,  if  it  were  not  Errour-blafted 
from  Heaven  and  Hell.  I  fhould  as  fhrewdly  fufpect 
that  Opinion,  that  will  cordially  corrive  with  twro  or 
three  fottifh  errours,  as  that  faith  that  can  profeffedly 
live  with  two  or  three  fordid  fins.  I  dare  not  feare 
our  godly  Brethren  in  England  to  be  yet  comming  to 
this  paffe;  how  foon  they  may,  themfelves  know  not, 
the  times  are  flippery:  They  will  undoubtedly  finde 
God  as  jealous  of  his  Ordinances,  as  themfelves  are 
zealous  of  their  Opinions. 

Sixthly,  that  Authority  ought  to  fee  their  Subjects 
children  baptized,  though  their  Parents  judgements 
be  againft  it,  if  there  be  no  other  Evangelicall  barre 
in  the  way. 

Seventhly,  that  prudent  men,  efpecially  young, 
fhould  doe  well  not  to  ingage  themfelves  in  confe 
rence  with  Errorifts,  without  a  good  calling  and  great 
caution;  their  breath  is  contagious,  their  leprey  fprea- 
ding:  receive  not  him  that  is  weak,  faith  the  Apoftle 
to  doubtfull  difputations ;  much  leffe  may  they  run, 

them- 


is  The  Simple  Colter  of 

themfelves  into  dangerous  Sophiftications.  He  ufually 
hears  beft  in  their  meetings,  that  ftops  his  ears  clo- 
feft;  he  opens  his  mouth  to  beft  purpofe,  that  keeps  it 
fhut,  and  he  doth  beft  of  all,  that  declines  their  com 
pany  as  wifely  as  he  may. 

Brethren,  have  an  extraordinary  care  alfo  of  the 
late  Theofophers,  that  teach  men  to  climbe  to  heaven 
upon  a  ladder  of  lying  figments.  Rather  then  the  de- 
vill  will  lofe  his  game,  he  will  out-fhoot  Chrift  in  his 
owne  bow;  he  will  out-law  the  Law,  quite  out  of  the 
word  and  world:  over-Gofpell  the  Gofpell,  and  qui- 
danye  Chrift,  with  Sugar  and  Rats-bane.  Hee  was 
Prof  ef four  not  long  fince  at  S  chief  tat  in  Al/atia,  where 
he  learned,  that  no  poyfon  is  fo  deadly  as  the  poyfon 
of  Grace. 

The  wifeft  way,  when  all  is  faid,  is  with  all  humi 
lity  and  feare,  to  take  Chrift  as  himfelfe  hath  revealed 
himfelfe  in  his  Gofpel,  and  not  as  the  Devill  prefents 
him  to  preftigiated  fanfies.  I  have  ever  hated  the 
way  of  the  Rofie- Crucians,  who  reject  things  as 
Gods  wifedome  hath  tempered  them,  and  will  have 
nothing  but  their  Spirits.  If  I  were  to  give  phyfick  to 
Spryts,  I  would  do  fo  too:  but  when  I  want  Phyfick 
for  my  body,  I  would  not  have  my  foule  tartared: 
nor  my  Animall  Spirits  purged  any  way,  but  by  my 
Naturall,  and  thofe  by  my  bodily  humours,  and  thofe 
by  fuch  Ordinaries,  as  have  the  neareft  vicinage  to 
them,  and  not  by  Metaphyficall  Limbeckings.  I  can 
not  thinke  that  materia  prima  or  fecunda,  fhould  bee 
good  for  me,  that  am  at  leaft,  Materia  millefsima  fex- 
centefima  quadragefima  quinta. 

Here  I  hold  my  felfe  bound  to  fet  up  a  Beacon,  to 

give 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  19 


give  warning  of  a  new-fprung  Sect  of  phrantaf ticks, 
which  would  perfwade  themfelves  and  others,  that 
they  have  difcovered  the  Nor-weft  paffage  to  Hea 
ven.  Thefe  wits  of  the  game,  cry  up  and  downe  in 
corners  fuch  bold  ignotions  of  a  new  Gofpell,  new 
Chrift,  new  Faith,  and  new  gay-nothings,  as  trouble 
unfetled  heads,  querulous  hearts,  and  not  a  little  grieve 
the  Spirit  of  God.  I  defire  all  good  men  may  be  fa- 
ved  from  their  Lunatick  Creed,  by  Infidelity;  and  ra 
ther  beleeve  thefe  torrid  overtures  will  prove  in  time, 
nothing  but  horrid  raptures  downe  to  the  loweft  hell, 
from  which  he  that  would  be  delivered,  let  him  avoid 
thefe  blafphemers,  a  late  fry  of  croaking  Frogs,  not 
to  be  indured  in  a  Religious  State,  no,  if  it  were  pof- 
fible,  not  an  houre. 

As  fome  are  playing  young  Spaniels,  quefting  at 
every  bird  that  rifes;  fo  others,  held  very  good  men, 
are  at  a  dead  ftand,  not  knowing  what  to  doe  or  fay; 
and  are  therefore  called  Seekers,  looking  for  new 
Nuntio's  from  Chrift,  to  affoile  thefe  benighted  que- 
ftions,  and  to  give  new  Orders  for  new  Churches.  I 
crave  leave  with  all  refpect  to  tell  them,  that  if  they 
looke  into  Act.  20.  20.  25.  Gal.  1.  8.  9.  1  Tim.  6.  13.16. 
and  finde  them  not  there;  they  may  happily  feek  as 
the  young  Prophets  did  for  Eliah's  corps,  where  it  ne 
ver  was,  nor  ever  will  be  found. 

I  cannot  imagine  why  the  Holy  Ghoft  fhould  give 
Timothie  the  folemneft  charge,  was  ever  given  mor- 
tall  man,  to  obferve  the  Rules  he  had  given,  till  the 
comming  of  Chrift,  if  new  things  muft  be  expected. 

Woe  be  to  them,  who  ever  they  be,  that  fo  trouble 
the  wayes  of  God  that  they  who  have  found  the  way 

D  to 


20  The  Simple  Colter  of 

to  heaven  cannot  find  the  way  to  Church:  And 
woe  be  to  them,  that  fo  gaze  at  the  glorious  light, 
they  fay,  will  breake  forth  in  the  thoufand  yeares  to 
come,  that  they  make  little  of  the  gratious  Truth  that 
hath  been  revealed  thefe  fixteen  hundred  years  paft. 
And  woe  be  to  them  that  fo  under- value  the  firft  Ma- 
fter  Builders,  I  mean  the  Apoftles  of  Chrift,  that  un- 
leffe  he  fends  wifer  than  they,  He  muft  be  accounted 
leffe  faithfull  in  his  houfe  than  Mofes  was. 

I  have  caufe  enough  to  be  as  charitable  to  others 
as  any  man  living;  yet  I  cannot  but  feare,  that  thofe 
men  never  Moored  their  Anchors  well  in  the  firme 
foile  of  Heaven;  that  are  weather-waft  up  and  down 
with  every  eddy- wind  of  every  new  doctrine.  The 

g)od  Spirit  of  God  doth  not  ufually  tie  up  the 
elme,  and  fuffer  paffengers  to  heaven  to  ride  a  drift, 
hither  and  thither,  as  every  wave  and  current  carries 
them:  that  is  a  fitter  courfe  for  fuch  as  the  Apoftle 
calls  wandring  Starrs  and  Meteors,  without  any  cer- 
taine  motion,  hurried  about  with  tempefts,  bred  of 
the  Exhalations  of  their  owne  pride  and  felfe-witted- 
neffe:  whofe  damnation  fleepeth  not,  and  to  whom 
the  mift  of  darkneffe  is  referved  for  ever,  that  they 
may  fuffer  irreparable  fhipwrack  upon  the  Sands  and 
Rocks  of  their  owne  Errors,  being  of  old  ordained 
to  condemnation. 

Eightly,  let  all  confiderate  men  beware  of  un 
grounded  opinions  in  Religion :  Since  I  knew  what  to 
feare,  my  heart  hath  dreaded  three  things:  a  bla 
zing  ftarre  appearing  in  the  aire:  a  State  Comet,  I 
meane  a  favourite  rifing  in  a  Kingdome,  a  new  Opi 
nion  fpreading  in  Religion:  thefe  are  Exorbitancies : 

which 


AGGAVVAM  in  America. 


which  is  a  formidable  word;  a  vacuum  and  an  exor 
bitancy,  are  mundicidious  evils,  Concerning  Novel 
ties  of  opinions ;  I  fhall  expreffe  my  thoughts  in  thefe 
brief e  paffages.  Firft,  that  Truth  is  the  beft  boone 
God  ever  gave  the  world:  there  is  nothing  in  the 
world,  world,  any  further  then  Truth  makes  it  fo,  it 
is  better  then  any  creat'  Ens  or  Bonum,  which  are  but 
Truths  twins.  Secondly,  the  leaft  Truth  of  Gods 
Kingdome,  doth  in  its  place,  uphold  the  whole  King- 
dome  of  his  Truths;  Take  away  the  leaft  vericulum 
out  of  the  world,  and  it  unworlds  all,  potentially,  and 
may  unravell  the  whole  texture  actually,  if  it  be  not 
conferved  by  an  Arme  of  fuperiordinary  power. 
Thirdly,  the  leaft  Evangelicall  Truth  is  more  worth 
than  all  the  Civill  Truths  in  the  world,  that  are  meer- 
ly  fo.  Fourthly,  that  Truth  is  the  Parent  of  all  li 
berty  whether  politicall  or  perfonall;  fo  much  un 
truth,  fo  much  thraldome,  I  oh.  8.  32. 

Hence  it  is,  that  God  is  fo  jealous  of  his  Truths,  that 
he  hath  taken  order  in  his  due  juftice:  Firft,  that  no 
practicall  fin  is  fo  finfull  as  fonie  errour  in  judgement; 
no  man  fo  accurfed  with  indelible  infamy  and  dedo- 
lent  impenitency,  as  Authors  of  Herefie.  Second 
ly,  that  the  leaft  Error,  if  grown  fturdy  and  preffed, 
fhall  fet  open  the  Spittle-doore  of  all  the  fquint-eyd', 
wry-necked,  and  brafen-faced  Errors  that  are  or  ever 
were  of  that  litter;  if  they  be  not  enough  to  ferve  its 
turne,  it  will  beget  more,  though  it  hath  not  one  cruft 
of  reafon  to  maintain  them.  Thridly,  that  that  State 
which  will  permit  Errors  in  Religion,  fhall  admit  Er 
rors  in  Policy  unavoidably.  Fourthly,  that  that  Po 
licy  which  will  fuffer  irreligious  errors,  fhall  fuffer  the 

D  2  loffe 


The  Simple  Cotter  of 


loffe  of  fo  much  Liberty  in  one  kind  or  other,  I  will 
not  exempt  Venice,  Rhagufe,  the  Cantons,  the  Nether 
lands,  or  any. 

ft^An  eafie  head  may  foon  demonftrate,  that  the  pre- 
mentioned  Planters,  by  Tolerating  all  Religions,  had 
immazed  theinfelves  in  the  moft  intolerable  confufi- 
ons  and  inextricable  thraldomes  the  world  ever  heard 
of.  I  am  perfwaded  the  Devill  himfelfe  was  never 
willing  with  their  proceedings,  for  feare  it  would 
breake  his  wind  and  wits  to  attend  fuch  a  Province. 
I  fpeak  it  ferioufly,  according  to  my  meaning.  How 
all  Religions  fhould  enjoy  their  liberty,  Juftice  its  due 
regularity,  Civill  cohabitation  morall  honefty,  in 
one  and  the  fame  Jurif  diction,  is  beyond  the  Attique 
of  my  comprehenfion.  If  the  whole  conclave  of  Hell 
can  fo  compromife,  exadverfe,  and  diametricall  con 
tradictions,  as  to  compolitize  fuch  a  multimonftrous 
maufrey  of  heteroclytes  and  quicquidlibets  quietly;  I 
truft  I  may  fay  with  all  humble  reverence,  they  can  do 
more  then  the  Senate  of  Heaven.  My  modus  loquendi 
pardoned;  I  intirely  wifh  much  welfare  and  more 
\vifdom  to  that  Plantation. 

It  is  greatly  to  be  lamented,  to  obferve  the  wanton 
fearleffeneffe  of  this  Age,  efpecially  of  younger  pro- 
feffors,  to  greet  new  opinions  and  Opinionifts:  as  if 
former  truths  were  growne  fuperannuate,  and  fap- 
leffe,  if  not  altogether  antiquate.  Non  fenefcet  veritas. 
No  man  ever  faw  a  gray  haire  on  the  head  or  beard 
of  any  Truth,  wrinckle,  or  morphew  on  its  face: 
The  bed  of  Truth  is  green  all  the  yeare  long.  Hee 
that  cannot  folace  himfelfe  with  any  faving  truth,  as 
affectionately  as  at  the  firft  acquaintance  with  it, 

hath 


AGGAVVAM  in  America. 


hath  not  only  a  faftidious,  but  an  adulterous  heart. 

If  all  be  true  we  heare,  Never  was  any  people  un 
der  the  Sun,  fo  fick  of  new  opinions  as  Englifh-men\ 
nor  of  new  fafhions  as  Englifh-women:  If  God  helpe 
not  the  one,  and  the  devill  leave  not  helping  the  other, 
a  blind  man  may  eafily  forefee  what  will  become  of 
both.  I  have  fpoken  what  I  intend  for  the  prefent  to 
men ;  I  fhall  fpeak  a  word  to  the  women  anon :  in  the 
mean  time  I  intreat  them  to  prepare  patience. 

Ninthly,  that  godly  humble  Chriftians  ought  not 
to  wonder  impatiently  at  the  wonderfull  workes  of 
God  in  thefe  times :  it  is  full  Seafon  for  him  to  worke 
Soveraign  worke,  to  vindicate  his  Soveraignty,  that 
men  may  feare  before  him.  States  are  unftated,  Ru 
lers  growne  Over-rulers,  Subjects  worfe  then  men, 
Churches-decayed.  Tofts,  Profeffors,  empty  casks 
filled  with  unholy  humours;  I  fpeake  not  of  all,  but 
too  many;  I  condemne  not  the  generation  of  the  juft 
God  hath  his  remnant,  whom  he  will  carefully  pre- 
ferve.  If  it  bee  time  for  men  to  take  up  Defenfive 
Arms  against  fuch  as  are  called  Gods,  upon  the  point 
of  Salus  populi,  it  is  high  time  for  him  that  is  God  in 
deed,  to  draw  his  Sword  againft  wormes  and  no 
men,  upon  the  point  of  Majeftas  imperil:  The  pier 
cing  of  his  Sword  fhall  difcover  the  thoughts  of  many 
hearts. 

Laftly,  I  dare  averre,  that  it  ill  becomes  Chriftians 
any  thing  well-fhod  with  the  preparation  of  the 
Gofpel,  to  meditate  flight  from  their  deare  Countrey 
upon  thefe  difturbances.  Stand  your  grounds  ye  Ele- 
azars  and  Shammahs,  ftir  not  a  foot  fo  long  as  you 
have  halfe  a  foot  of  ground  to  ftand  upon :  after  one  or 

D  3  two 


24  The  Simple  Cotter  of 

two  fuch  Worthies,  a  great  Victory  may  be  regained, 
and  flying  Ifrael  may  returne  to  a  rich  fpoile.  Englifh- 
men,  be  advifed  to  love  England,  with  your  hearts  and 
to  preferve  it  by  your  Prayers.  I  am  bold  to  fay  that 
fince  the  pure  Primitive  time,  the  Gofpel  never  thri 
ved  fo  well  in  any  foile  on  earth,  as  in  the  Brittifh,  nor 
is  the  like  goodneffe  of  nature,  or  Cornucopian  plenty 
elfe-where  to  be  found:  if  ye  lofe  that  Country  and 
finde  a  better  before  ye  come  to  Heaven,  my  Cofmo- 
graphy  f ailes  me.  I  am  farre  from  difcouraging  any, 
whom  neceffity  of  Confcience  or  condition  thrufts 
out  by  head  and  fhoulders:  if  God  calls  any  into  a 
Wilderneffe,  Hee  will  be  noe  wilderneffe  to  them, 
Jer.  2,  31.  witneffe  his  large  beneficence  to  us  here 
beyond  expectation. 

Ye  fay,  why  come  not  we  over  to  helpe  the  Lord 
againft  the  Mighty,  in  thefe  Sacred  battailes : 

I  anfwer,  many  here  are  diligently  obferving  the 
counfell  of  the  fame  Prophet,  22.  10.  Weepe  not  for 
him  that  is  dead,  neither  bemoan  him;  but  weep  for  him 
that  is  gone  away  and  f  hall  returne  no  more  to  fee  his  Na 
tive  Country.  Divers  make  it  an  Article  of  our  Ameri 
can  Creed,  which  a  celebrate  Divine  of  England  hath 
obferved  upon  Heb.  11.9.  That  no  man  ought  to  for- 
fake  his  owne  countrey,  but  upon  extraordinary  caufe, 
and  when  that  caufe  ceafeth,  he  is  bound  in  confcience 
to  returne  if  he  can :  We  are  looking  to  him  who  hath 
our  hopes  and  feafons  in  his  only  wife  hand. 

In  the  mean  time  we  defire  to  bow  our  knees  before 
the  Throne  of  Grace  day  and  night,  that  the  Lord 
would  be  pleafed  in  his  tender  mercy  to  ftill  the  fad 
unquietneffe  and  per-peracute  contentions,  of  that 

moft 


AGGAVVAM  in  /mcrica.  25 


moft  comfortable  and  renowned  Ifland,  that  at  length 
He  may  have  praife  in  his  Churches,  and  his  Chur 
ches  peace  in  him,  through  Jefus  Chrift. 

SHould  I  not  keepe  promife  in  fpeaking  a  little  to 
Womens  fafliions,  they  would  take  it  unkindly:  I 
was  loath  to  pefter  better  matter  with  f uch  ftuffe ; 
I  rather  thought  it  meet  to  let  them  ftand  by  them- 
felves,  like  the  Quce  Genus  in  the  Grammer,  being 
Deficients,  or  Redundants,  not  to  be  brought  under 
any  Rule:  I  fhall  therefore  make  bold  for  this  once, 
to  borrow  a  little  of  their  loofe  tongued  Liberty,  and 
mifpend  a  word  or  two  upon  their  long- wafted,  but 
fhort-skirted  patience:  a  little  ufe  of  my  ftirrup  will 
doe  no  harme. 

Ridentem  dicer e  verum,  quid  prohibet? 

Gray  Gravity  it  felfe  can  well  beteam, 
That  Language  be  adapted  to  the  Theme. 
He  that  to  Parrots  /peaks,  muft  parrotife: 
He  that  inftructs  a  foole,  may  act  th'unwife. 

It  is  known  more  then  enough,  that  I  am  neither 
Nigard,  nor  Cinick,  to  the  due  bravery  of  the  true 
Gentry:  if  any  man  mif likes  a  bullymong  droffock 
more  then  I,  let  him  take  her  for  his  labour :  I  honour 
the  woman  that  can  honour  her  felfe  with  her  attire :  a 
good  Text  alwayes  deferves  a  fair  Margent ;  I  am  not 
much  offended,  if  I  fee  a  trimme,  far  trimmer  than  fhe 
that  weares  it:  in  a  word,  whatever  Chriftianity  or 
Civility  will  allow,  I  can  afford  with  London  mea- 

fure: 


The  Simple  Colter  of 


fure:  but  when  I  heare  a  nugiperous  Gentledame  in 
quire  what  dreffe  the  Queen  is  in  this  week :  what  the 
nudiuftertian  fafhion  of  the  Court;  with  egge  to  be  in 
it  in  all  hafte,  wrhatever  it  be ;  I  look  at  her  as  the  very 
gizzard  of  a  trifle,  the  product  of  a  quarter  of  a  cypher, 
the  epitome  of  Nothing,  fitter  to  be  kickt,  if  fhee  were 
of  a  kickable  fubftance,  than  either  honour 'd  or  hu 
mour  'd. 

To  fpeak  moderately,  I  truly  confeffe  it  is  beyond 
the  ken  of  my  underftanding  to  conceive,  how  thofe 
women  fhould  have  any  true  grace,  or  valuable  ver- 
tue,  that  have  fo  little  wit,  as  to  diffigure  themfelves 
with  fuch  exotick  garbes,  as  not  only  difmantles  their 
native  lovely  luftre,  but  tranfclouts  them  into  gant- 
bar-geefe,  ill-fhapen-fhotten-fhell-fifh,  Egyptian  Hye- 
roglyphicks,  or  at  the  beft  into  French  flurts  of  the 
paftery,  which  a  proper  Englifh  woman  fhould  fcorne 
with  her  heels :  it  is  no  marvell  they  weare  drailes  on 
the  hinder  part  of  their  heads,  having  nothing  as  it 
teems  in  the  fore-part,  but  a  few  Squirrils  brains  to  help 
them  frisk  from  one  ill-favour  'd  fafhion  to  another. 

Thefe  whimm'Crown'dfhees,  thefe  fafhion-fanfying  wits, 
Are  empty  thin  brain' d  /hells,  and  fidling  Kits. 

The  very  troublers  and  impoverifhers  of  mankind, 
I  can  hardly  forbeare  to  commend  to  the  world  a  fay 
ing  of  a  Lady  living  fometime  with  the  Queen  of  Bo 
hemia,  I  know  not  where  fhee  found  it,  but  it  is  pitty 
it  fhould  be  loft. 

The  world  is  full  of  care,  much  like  unto  a  bubble; 

women 


AGGAVVAM  in  dmcrtca.  27 


Women  and  care,  and  care  and  women,  and  women  and 

(care  and  trouble. 

The  Verfes  are  even  enough  for  fuch  odde  peg- 
ma's  I  can  make  my  felfe  ficke  at  any  time,  with  com 
paring  the  dazling  fplender  wherewith  our  Gentle 
women  were  imbellifhed  in  fome  former  habits,  with 
the  gut-foundred  goofdom,  wherewith  they  are  now 
furcingled  and  debauched.  Wee  have  about  five  or 
fix  of  them  in  our  Colony :  if  I  fee  any  of  them  acci 
dentally,  I  cannot  cleanfe  my  phanfie  of  them  for  a 
moneth  after.  I  have  been  a  folitary  widdower  almoft 
twelve  yeares,  purpofed  lately  to  make  a  ftep  over  to 
my  Native  Country  for  a  yoke-fellow:  but  when  I 
confider  how  women  there  have  tripe-wifed  them- 
felves  with  their  cladments,  I  have  no  heart  to  the 
voyage,  leaft  their  naufeous  fhapes  and  the  Sea,fhould 
work  too  forely  upon  my  ftomach.  I  fpeak  fadly ;  me 
thinkes  it  fhould  breake  the  hearts  of  Englifh-men,  to 
fee  fo  many  goodly  Englifh-women  imprifoned  in 
French  Cages,  peering  out  of  their  hood-holes  for 
fome  men  of  mercy  to  help  them  with  a  little  wit,  and 
no  body  relieves  them. 

It  is  a  more  common  then  convenient  faying,  that 
nine  Taylors  make  a  man:  it  were  well  if  nineteene 
could  make  a  woman  to  her  minde:  if  Taylors  were 
men  indeed,  well  furnifhed  but  with  meer  morall  prin 
ciples,  they  would  difdain  to  be  led  about  like  Apes, 
by  fuch  mymick  Marmofets.  It  is  a  moft  unworthy 
thing,  for  men  that  have  bones  in  them,  to  fpend  their 
lives  in  making  fidle-cafes  for  futulous  womens  phan- 
fies;  which  are  the  very  pettitoes  of  Infirmity,  the 

E  giblets 


28 


The  Simple  Colter  of 


All  the  Coun 
ties  and  fhires 
of  England 
have  had  wars 
in  them  fmce 
the  Conqueft, 
but  Effex,  which 
is  onely  free, 
and  fhould  be 
thankfull. 


giblets  of  perquifquilian  toyes.  I  am  fo  charitable 
to  think,  that  moft  of  that  myftery  would  worke 
the  cheerfuller  while  they  live,  if  they  might  bee 
well  difcharged  of  the  tyring  flavery  of  mif-tyring 
women:  it  is  no  little  labour  to  be  continually  put 
ting  up  Englif h-women  into  Out-landif h  caskes ;  who 
if  they  be  not  fhifted  anew,  once  in  a  few  months, 
grow  too  fowre  for  their  Husbands.  What  this  Trade 
will  anfwer  for  themfelves  when  God  fhall  take  mea- 
fure  of  Taylors  confciences  is  beyond  my  skill  to  i- 
magine.  There  was  a  time  when 

The  joyning  of  the  Red-Rofe  with  the  White, 
Did  fet  our  State  into  a  Damask  plight. 

But  now  our  Rofes  are  turned  to  Flore  de  lices,  our 
Carnations  to  Tulips,  our  Gilliflowers  to  Dayzes,  our 
City-Dames,  to  an  indenominable  Qusemalry  of  o- 
verturcaf'd  things.  Hee  that  makes  Coates  for  the 
Moone,  had  need  to  take  meafure  every  noone :  and  he 
that  makes  for  women,  as  often,  to  keepe  them  from 
Lunacy. 

I  have  often  heard  divers  Ladies  vent  loud  femi 
nine  complaints  of  the  wearifome  varieties  and  charg- 
able  changes  of  fafhions:  I  marvell  themfelves  pre- 
ferre  not  a  Bill  of  redreffe.  tt  would  Effex  Ladies 
would  lead  the  Chore,  for  the  honour  of  their  Coun 
ty  and  perfons;  or  rather  the  thrice  honorable  La 
dies  of  the  Court,  whom  it  beft  beefemes:  who  may 
wel  prefume  of  a  Le  Roy  le  veult  from  our  fober  King, 
a  Les  Seigneurs  ont  affentus  from  our  prudent  Peers, 
and  the  like  Affentus,  from  our  confiderate,  I  dare  not 

fay 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  29 


fay  wife-worne  Commons:  who  I  beleeve  had  much 
rather  paffe  one  fuch  Bill,  than  pay  fo  many  Taylors 
Bills  as  they  are  forced  to  doe. 

Moft  deare  and  unparallel'd  Ladies,  be  pleafed  to 
attempt  it :  as  you  have  the  precellency  of  the  women 
of  the  world  for  beauty  and  feature ;  fo  affume  the  ho 
nour  to  give,  and  not  take  Law  from  any,  in  matter 
of  attire:  if  ye  can  tranfact  fo  faire  a  motion  among 
your  felves  unanimouf ly,  I  dare  fay,  they  that  moft  re- 
nite,  will  leaft  repent.  What  greater  honour  can  your 
Honors  defire,  then  to  build  a  Promontory  prefident 
to  all  foraigne  Ladies,  to  deferve  fo  eminently  at  the 
hands  of  all  the  Englifh  Gentry  prefent  and  to  come: 
and  to  confute  the  opinion  of  all  the  wife  men  in  the 
world;  who  never  thought  it  poffible  for  women  to 
doe  fo  good  a  work  ? 

If  any  man  think  I  have  fpoken  rather  merrily  than 
ferioufly  he  is  much  miftaken,  I  have  written  what  I 
write  with  all  the  indignation  I  can,  and  no  more  then 
I  ought.  I  confeffe  I  veer'd  my  tongue  to  this  kinde 
of  Language  de  induftria  though  unwillingly,  fuppo- 
fing  thofe  I  fpeak  to  are  uncapable  of  grave  and  rati- 
onall  arguments. 

I  defire  all  Ladies  and  Gentlewomen  to  underftand 
that  all  this  while  I  intend  not  fuch  as  through  necef- 
fary  modefty  to  avoyd  morofe  fingularity,  follow  fa- 
fhions  flowly,  a  flight  fhot  or  two  off,  fhewing  by 
their  moderation,  that  they  rather  draw  countermont 
with  their  hearts,  then  put  on  by  their  examples. 

I  point  my  pen  only  againft  the  light-heeFd  beagles 
that  lead  the  chafe  fo  f aft,  that  they  run  all  civility  out 
of  breath,  againft  thefe  Ape-headed  pullets,  which 

E  2  invent 


so  Tie  Simple  Colter  of 


invent  Antique  foole-f angles,  meerly  for  fafhion  and 
novelty  fake. 

In  a  word,  if  I  begin  once  to  declaime  againft  fafhi- 
ons,  let  men  and  women  look  well  about  them,  there 
is  fomewhat  in  the  bufineffe;  I  confeffe  to  the  world, 
I  never  had  grace  enough  to  be  ftrict  in  that  kinde; 
and  of  late  years,  I  have  found  fyrrope  of  pride  very 
whole fome  in  a  due  Dos,  which  makes  mee  keep  tuch 
ftore  of  that  drugge  by  me,  that  if  any  body  comes 
to  me  for  a  queftion-full  or  two  about  fafhions,  they 
never  complain  of  me  for  giving  them  hard  meafure, 
or  under-weight. 

But  I  addreffe  my  felf  to  thofe  who  can  both  hear 
and  mend  all  if  they  pleafe :  I  feriouf ly  fear,  if  the  pi 
ous  Parliament  doe  not  find  a  time  to  ftate  fafhions, 
as  ancient  Parliaments  have  done  in  part,  God  will 
hardly  finde  a  time  to  ftate  Religion  or  Peace :  They 
are  the  furquedryes  of  pride,  the  wantonneffe  of  idle- 
neffe,  provoking  fins,  the  certain  prodromies  of  affu- 
red  judgement,  Zeph.  1.  7,  8. 

It  is  beyond  all  account,  how  many  Gentlemens 
and  Citizens  eftates  are  deplumed  by  their  feather- 
headed  wifes,  what  ufefull  fupplies  the  pannage  of 
England  would  afford  other  Countries,  what  rich  re- 
turnes  to  it  felfe,  if  it  were  not  flic  'd  out  into  male  and 
female  fripperies:  and  what  a  multitude  of  mif-im- 
ploy'd  hands,  might  be  better  improv'd  in  fome  more 
manly  Manufactures  for  the  publique  weale:  it  is  not 
eafily  credible,  what  may  be  faid  of  the  preterplura- 
lities  of  Taylors  in  London:  I  have  heard  an  honeft 
man  fay,  that  not  long  fince  there  were  numbered  be 
tween  Temple-barre  and  Charing '-Cro/fe,  eight  thou- 

fand 


AGGAVVAM  in  Jmenca.  31 


fand  of  that  Trade:  let  it  be  conjectured  by  that  pro 
portion  how  many  there  are  in  and  about  London,  and 
in  all  England,  they  will  appeare  to  be  very  nume 
rous.  If  the  Parliament  would  pleafe  to  mend  wo 
men,  which  their  Husbands  dare  not  doe,  there  need 
not  fo  many  men  to  make  and  mend  as  there  are.  I 
hope  the  prefent  dolefull  eftate  of  the  Realme,  will 
perfwade  more  ftrongly  to  fome  confiderate  courfe 
herein,  than  I  now  can. 

Knew  I  how  to  bring  it  in,  I  would  fpeake  a  word 
to  long  haire,  whereof  I  will  fay  no  more  but  this: 
if  God  proves  not  fuch  a  Barbor  to  it  as  he  threatens, 
unleffe  it  be  amended,  Efa.  7.  20.  before  the  Peace  of 
the  State  and  Church  be  well  fetled,  then  let  my  pro- 
phefie  be  f corned,  as  a  found  minde  f comes  the  ryot 
of  that  fin,  and  more  it  needs  not.  If  thofe  who  are 
tearmed  Rattle-heads  and  Impuritans  would  take  up 
a  Refolution  to  begin  in  moderation  of  haire,  to  the 
juft  reproach  of  thofe  that  are  called  Puritans  and 
Round-heads,  I  would  honour  their  manlineffe,  as 
much  as  the  others  godlineffe,  fo  long  as  I  knew  what 
man  or  honour  meant :  if  neither  can  finde  a  Barbours 
fhop,  let  them  turne  in,  to  Pfal.  68.21.  Jer.  7.29.1  Cor. 
11.14.  if  it  be  thought  no  wifdome  in  men  to  diftin- 
guifh  themf elves  in  the  field  by  the  Sciffers,  let  it  bee 
thought  no  Injustice  in  God,  not  to  diftinguifh  them 
by  the  Sword.  I  had  rather  God  fhould  know  me  by 
my  fobriety,  than  mine  enemy  not  know  me  by  my 
vanity.  He  is  ill  kept,  that  is  kept  by  his  owne  fin.  A 
fhort  promife,  is  a  f arre  faf er  guard  than  a  long  lock : 
it  is  an  ill  diftinction  which  God  is  loth  to  looke  at, 
and  his  Angels  cannot  know  his  Saints  by.  Though 

E  3  it 


32  Tie  Simple  Colter  of 

it  be  not  the  mark  of  the  Beaft,  yet  it  may  be  the  mark 
of  a  beaft  prepared  to  Daughter.  I  am  fure  men  ufe 
not  to  weare  fuch  manes;  I  am  alfo  fure  Souldiers 
ufe  to  weare  other  marklets  or  notadoes  in  time  of 
battell. 

HAving  done  with  the  upper  part  of  my  work,  I 
would  now  with  all  humble  willingneffe  fet  on 
the  beft  peece  of  Soule-leather  I  have,  did  I  not  fear  I 
ftiould  break  my  All,  which  though  it  may  be  a  right 
old  Englifh  blade,  yet  it  is  but  little  ana  weake.  I 
fhould  efteem  it  the  beft  piece  of  workmanfhip  my 
Cobling  hand  ever  wrought,  if  it  would  pleafe  Him 
whofe  worke  it  is,  to  direct  me  to  fpeake  fuch  a  word 
over  the  Sea,  as  the  good  old  woman  of  Abel  did  o- 
ver  the  wall,  in  the  like  exigent :  but  alas,  I  am  but 
fimple.  What  if  I  be? 

When  States  dishelv  'd  are,  and  Lawes  untwift, 
Wife  men  keep  their  tongues,  fools /peak  what  they  lift. 

I  would  not  be  fo  unwife  as  to  grieve  the  wife,  if  I 
were  wife  enough  to  forefee  it:  I  would  fpeake  no 
thing  to  the  Caufe  or  Continuance  of  thefe  weari- 
fome  Warres  hitherto;  the  one  is  enough  debated,  the 
other  more  than  enough  peracted.  Nor  would  I  de- 
claime  of  the  uncomlineffe,  unbrotherlineffe,  unfea- 
fonableneffe  and  unreafonableneffe  of  thefe  direfull 
digladiations :  every  ftroak  ftruck  founds  too  loud 
upon  this  harfh  ftring.  I  would  much  rather  fpeake 
perfwafives  to  a  comely  brotherly  feafonable  and 
reafonable  ceffation  of  Armes  on  both  fides,  by  a 

drawn 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  33 


drawn  battaile:  Wherein  if  I  fhall  adventure  a  few 
over-bold  words,  I  intreat  my  ignorance,  impartiality, 
and  Loyalty  may  plead  pardon  for  me. 

Foure  meanes  there  are,  and  no  more,  within  the 
compaffe  of  my  confideration,  conducing  to  what  is 
defired.  Either  to  get  the  Standard  fixed  in  heaven 
by  the  Lord  of  Hofts  taken  downe,  I  meane  by  Re 
formation  :  Or  to  fet  up  white  colours  inftead  of  red, 
on  one  fide  or  other,  I  meane  by  Compofition:  Or 
by  furling  up  all  the  Enfignes  on  both  fides,  I  meane 
by  mutuall  and  generall  Ceffation:  Or  by  ftill  dif- 
playing  all  the  Colours  and  Cornets  of  every  batalli- 
on,  I  mean  by  profecution :  without  Reformation  there 
will  hardly  be  any  Compofition;  without  Compofi 
tion  little  hope  of  Ceffation;  without  Ceffation  there 
muft  and  will  be  Profecution;  which  God  forbid. 

Reformation. 

WHen  the  Roman  Standard  was  defixed  with 
fuch  difficulty  at  the  battaile  between  Hanni- 
ball  and  Flaminius  at  Thrafimene,  it  proved  an  ill  O- 
men.  When  God  gives  quietneffe,  who  can  make  trouble; 
when  he  hideth  his  face,  who  can  behold  him?  Whether 
it  be  again  ft  a  Nation  or  a  man  onely.  That  the  Hypo 
crite  reigne  not,  left  the  people  be  infnared,  Job  34. 
29,  30.  How  can  the  fword  of  the  Lord  put  it  felfe 
up  into  its  fcabbard  and  be  quiet,  when  himfelf  hath 
given  it  a  charge  to  the  contrary  ?  Jer.  47.  6, 7.  It  was 
a  Cardinall  Truth  which  Cardinall  Poole  fpake  to 
H.  8.  Penes  Reges  eft  inferre  bellum,  penes  autem  Deum 
terminare.  If  Kings  will  make  their  beginnings,  God 
will  make  his  ends:  much  more  when  himfelfe  be 
gins 


34  The  Simple  Cotter  of 

gins :  When  I  begin,  I  will  alfo  make  an  end,  1  Sam. 
3.  12.  Farre  better  were  it,  for  men  to  make  an  end 
with  him  in  time,  than  put  him  to  make  fuch  an  end 
with  them  as  he  there  intends. 

Political!  Reformation  he  feemes  to  call  for  now 
indigitanter.  When  he  beholds  Chriftian  Kingdomes 
and  States  unfound  in  their  foundations,  illineal  in 
their  fuperftructures,  unjuft  in  their  adminiftrations ; 
he  kicks  them  in  peeces  with  the  foot  of  his  Indigna 
tion:  But  when  Religious  Statefmen  frame  and  build 
by  the  levell  and  plummet  of  his  wifdome,  then  peo 
ple  may  fay  as  his  fervants  of  old,  Looke  upon  Zion 
the  City  of  our  Solemnities;  Your  eyes  /hall  fee  it  a  qui 
et  habitation,  a  Tabernacle  that  /hall  not  be  taken  down ; 
not  one  of  the  /takes  thereof  fhall  be  removed,neither  fhall 
any  of  the  coards  thereof  bee  broken,  Ifa.  33.20.  neither 
by  civill  Commotions  nor  foraign  Invafions,  When 
the  coards  of  a  State  are  exquifitely  tight,  and  the 
ftakes  firmely  pitched ;  fuch  a  Tent  though  but  a  Tent 
fhall  not  eafily  flutter  or  fall:  But  if  the  Tacklings  be 
fo  loofe,  that  the  maine  Ma  ft  cannot  ftand  fteady,  nor  the 
Saile  be  wellfpread;  then  may  the  lame  take  and  devide  a 
great  prey,  ver.  23.  If  Religion,  Laws,  Liberties,  and 
foraigne  Federacies  be  flight:  the  ftrength  of  ftrong 
men  fhall  beweakneffe,  and  the  weakneffe  of  the  weak 
victorious. 

Purapoliteja  neunum  admittitfolceci/mulum,neque  va 
let, prcefcriptio  in  politicis  aut  moralibus.  It  may  main 
tain  a  bright  conjecture,  againft  a  rufty  Truth :  a  legi 
ble  poffeffion,  againft  an  obliterate  Claime:  an  in 
convenience,  againft  a  convenience;  where  no  cleare 
remedy  may  be  had:  but  never  anything  that  is  for 
mally 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  35 


mally  finfull,  or  materially  mifchievous.  When  rot 
ten  States  are  foundry  mended  from  head  to  foot,  pro 
portions  duly  admeafured,  Juftice  juftly  difpenced; 
then  fhall  Rulers  and  Subjects  have  peace  with  God 
and  themfelves:  but  till  then,  the  gayeft  Kingdomes 
fhall  be  but  ruffling  fcuffling,  removing  and  commo- 
ving  hovells.  For  England,  however  the  upper  Sto 
ries  are  fhroadly  fthattered;  yet  the  foundations  and 
frame  being  good  or  mendable  by  the  Architectors 
now  at  worke,  there  is  good  hope,  when  peace  is  fet- 
led,  people  fhall  dwell  more  wind-tight  and  water 
tight  than  formerly,  I  earneftly  wifh  our  Mr.  Builders 
to  remember,  that  punctuality  in  Divinity  and  Politic, 
is  but  regularity;  that  what  is  amiffe  in  the  mould,  will 
misfafhion  the  profult:  and  that  if  this  market  be  flipt, 
things  may  grow  as  deare  as  ever  they  were.  Moft 
expert  Gentlemen,  bee  intreated  at  length  to  fet  our 
Head  right  on  our  Shoulders,  that  we  may  once  look 
upwards  and  goe  forwards  like  proper  Englifhmen. 

God  will  alfo  have  Ecclefiafticall  Reformation 
now,  or  nothing:  And  here  he  ftands  not  upon  Kings, 
Parliaments  or  Affemblies,  but  upon  his  own  Termes. 
I  feare  Hee  will  have  all  droffe  and  bafe  mettalls 
throughly  melted  away  by  thefe  combuftions,  before 
Hee  quenches  them;  all  his  Ordinances  and  veffells 
caft  into  his  own  fafhion,  in  his  own  mould,  to  his 
own  amufsim,  before  he  re f tores  peace.  If  this  firft 
worke  bee  throughly  and  throughoutly  difpatched  as 
I  hope  it  is,  the  great  Remora  is  removed.  If  the  Parli 
ament  and  Affembly  be  pleafed  to  be  as  curious  and 
induftrious  as  I  have  feen  a  great  Popifh  Bifhop  in 

F  execra- 


36  Tie  Simple  Colter  of 


execrating  a  Proteftant  Par.  Church  one  day,  and  con- 
fecrating  it  the  next;  they  may  adjourn  a  while  with 
leave  enough, 

Some  ten  or  twelve  years  before  thefe  Wars  there 
came  to  my  view  thefe  two  Predictions. 

1 .  When  God  /hall  purge  this  Land  with  foap  and  nitre, 
Woe  be  to  the  Crowne,  woe  be  to  the  Mitre. 

The  Accent  of  the  blow  fhall  fall  there. 
He  that  pities  not  the  Crowne,  pities  not  his  own 
foule.  Hee  that  pities  not  thofe  that  wore  the  Mitre, 
more  than  they  pitied  themfelves,  or  the  Churches 
over  which  they  infulted,  or  the  State  then  corrupted 
and  now  Corruined  by  their  pride  and  negligence,  is 
to  blame. 

2.  There  is  a  fet  of  Bifhops  comming  next  behind, 
Will  ride  the  Devill  off  his  legs,  and  break  his  wind. 

Poore  men!  they  might  have  kept  his  back  till  this 
time  for  ought  I  know,  had  they  not  put  him  beyond 
his  pace:  but  Schollers  muft  gallop,  though  they 
tumble  for  it.  Yet  I  commend  them  for  this,  they 
gave  him  fuch  ftraynes  as  made  him  blow  fhort  ever 
fince.  I  doubt  the  Affembly  troubles  him;  and  I  doubt 
he  troubles  them.  Well,  the  Bifhops  are  gone :  If  they 
have  carried  away  with  them  all  that  was  in  the  poc 
kets  of  their  Holliday  hofe,  farre  them  well;  let  them 
come  againe  when  I  give  them  a  new  Conge  d9  /tier, 
or  fend  a  purfuivant  for  them ;  which  if  I  doe,  I  fhall 
never  truft  my  felfe  more,  though  they  have  often 

done 


AGGAVVAM  ia  America.  37 


done  it  for  me,  who  never  deferved*that  honour.  Some 
of  them  I  confeffe  were  veryfhoneft  men,  and  would 
have  been  honefter  if  they  dared  for  their  fellows. 

The  fad  worke  now  is  to  inftitute  better  things  in 
their  Roome,  and  to  induct  betteronen  in  their  roome ; 
rather  where  and  how  to'finde  thofe  things,  they  ha 
ving  cunningly  laid  them  fo  farre  out  of  the  way;  I 
doubt  some  good  men|cannot  fee  them,  when  they 
look  full  upon  them:  it  is  like,  the  Bifhops  carryed 
away  their  eyes  with  them,  but  I  fear  they  left  their 
Spectacles  behind  them.  I  ufe  no  fpectacles,  yet  my 
eyes  are  not  fine  enough,  nor  my  hand  fteady  enough 
to  cut  by  fuch  fine  threads  as  are  now  fpun.  I  am  I 
know  not  what;  I  cannot  tell  what  to  make  of  my 
felfe,  nor  I  think  no  body  elfe :  My  Trade  is  to  finde 
more  faults  than  others  will  mend;  and  I  am  very 
diligent  at  it;  yet  it  fcarfe  findes  me  a  living,  though 
the  Country  finds  me  more  worke  than  I  can  turne 
my  hand  to. 

For  Church  worke,  I  am  neither  Presbyterian,  nor 
plebsbyterian,  but  an  Interpendent :  My  task  is  to  fit 
and  ftudy  how  fhapeable  the  Independent  way  will 
be  to  the  body  of  England,  then  my  head  akes  on  one 
fide;  and  how  fuitable  the  Presbyterian  way,  as  we 
heare  it  propounded,  will  be  to  the  minde  of  Chrift, 
then  my  head  akes  on  the  other  fide :  but  when  I  con- 
fider  how  the  Parliament  will  commoderate  a  way 
out  of  both,  then  my  head  leaves  aking.  I  am  not, 
without  fome  contrivalls  in  my  patching  braines;  but 
I  had  rather  fuppofe  them  to  powder,  than  expofe 
them  to  preregular,  much  leffe  to  preter- regular  Judge 
ments:  I  fhall  therefore  rejoyce  that  the  worke  is  fain 

F  2  into 


38  The  Simple  Colter  of 

into  fo  good  hands,  heads,  and  hearts,  who  will  weigh 
Rules  by  Troyweight,  and  not  by  the  old  Haber-du- 
pois:  and  rather  then  meddle  where  I  have  fo  little 
skill,  I  will  fit  by  and  tell  my  feares  to  them  that  have 
the  patience  to  heare  them,  and  leave  the  red-hot  que- 
ftion  to  them  that  dare  handle  it. 

I  fear  many  holy  men  have  not  fo  deeply'  humbled 
themfelves  for  their  former  mif-worfhippings  of  God 
as  hee  will  have  them  before  he  reveales  his  fecrets  to 
them:  as  they  accounted  things  indifferent,  fo  they 
account  indifferent  repentance  will  ferve  turne.  Sonne 
of  man,  if  my  people  be  a/homed  of  all  that  they  have 
done,  then  fhew  them  the  forme  of  the  houfe,  and  the  fa- 
fhion  thereof,  elfe  not,  Ezek.  43.  11.  A  fin  in  Gods  wor- 
fhip,  that  feemes  fmall  in  the  common  beame  of  the 
world,  may  be  very  great  in  the  fcoales  of  his  Sanctu 
ary.  Where  God  is  very  jealous,  his  fervants  fhould 
be  very  cautelous. 

I  feare  the  furnace  wherein  our  new  forms  are  caft- 
ing,  is  over-heat,  and  cafts  fmoake  in  the  eyes  of  our 
founders,  that  they  cannot  well  fee  what  they  doe,  or 
ought  to  doe;  omne  peril  judicium  cum  res  tranfit  in 
affectum.  Truth  and  Peace  are  the  Castor  and  Pollux 
of  the  Gofpell :  they  that  feeke  the  one  without  the  o- 
ther,  are  like  to  finde  neither:  Anger  will  hinder  do- 
meftick  Prayers,  much  more  Ecclefiaftique  Counfels. 
What  is  produced  by  tumult,  is  either  diffident  or  re 
dundant.  When  the  judgements  of  good  men  con- 
curre  with  an  harmonious  Diapafon,  the  refult  is  me 
lodious  and  commodious.  Warring  and  jarring  men 
are  no  builders  of  houses  for  God,  though  other- 
wife  very  good.  Inftruments  may  be  well  made  and 

well 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  39 


well  ftrung,  but  if  they  be  not  well  fretted,  the  Mu- 
fique  is  marred.  The  great  Turke  hearing  Mufitians 
fo  long  a  tuning,  he  though  it  ftood  not  with  his  ftate 
to  wait  for  what  would  follow.  When  Chrift  whips 
Market-makers  out  of  his  Temple,  he  raifes  duft :  but 
when  he  enters  in  with  Truth  and  Holineffe,  he  calls 
for  deep  filence,  Hob.  2.  20.  There  muft  not  a  toole 
be  heard  when  the  Tabernacle  is  reared :  Nor  is  that 
amiable  or  ferviceable  to  men  that  paffeth  through  fo 
many  ill  animadverfions  of  Auditors  and  Spectators, 
If  the  Affembly  can  hardly  agree  what  to  determine, 
people  will  not  eafily  agree  what  to  accept. 

I  fear,  thefe  differences  and  delayes  have  occafion- 
ed  men  to  make  more  new  difcoveries  then  otherwife 
they  would.  If  publique  Affemblies  of  Divines  can 
not  agree  upon  a  right  way,  private  Conventicles  of 
illiterate  men;  will  foone  finde  a  wrong.  Bivious  de- 
murres  breed  devious  refolutions.  Paffengers  to  hea 
ven  are  in  hafte,  and  will  walk  one  way  or  other.  He 
that  doubts  of  his  way,  thinks  hee  lofes  his  day:  and 
when  men  are  gone  a  while,  they  will  be  loth  to  turn 
back.  If  God  hide  his  path,  Satan  is  at  hand  to  turne 
Convoy:  if  any  have  a  minde  to  ride  pofte,  he  will 
help  them  with  a  frefh  fpavin'd  Opinion  at  every 
Stage. 

Where  clocks  will  ftand,  and  Dials  have  no  light, 
There  men  muft  go  by  guef/e,  be't  wrong  or  right. 

I  feare,  if  the  Affembly  of  all  Divines,  do  not  con- 
fent,  and  concenter  the  fooner,  God  will  breath  a  fpi- 
rit  of  wifedome  and  meekneffe,  into  the  Parliament  of 

F  3  no 


40  The  Simple  Colter  of 

no  Divines,  to  whom  the  Imperative  and  Coactive 
power  fupremely  belongs,  to  confult  fuch  a  contem- 
perate  way,  as  fhall  beft  pleafe  him,  and  profit  his 
Churches,  fo  that  it  fhall  be  written  upon  the  doore 
of  the  Affembly;  The  Lord  was  not  there. 

I  feare  the  importunity  of  fome  impatient,  and  fub- 
tlety  of  fome  malevolent  mindes,  will  put  both  Par 
liament  and  Affembly  upon  fome  preproperations, 
that  will  not  be  fafe  in  Ecclefiafticall  Conftitutions. 
To  procraftinate  in  matters  cleare,  as  I  faid  even  now, 
may  be  dangerous;  fo,  not  to  delibrate  in  dubious 
cafes,  will  be  as  perilous.  We  here,  though  I  think 
under  favour,  wee  have  fome  as  able  Steerfmen  as 
England  affords,  have  been  driven  to  tack  about  again 
to  fome  other  points  of  Chrifts  Compaffe,  and  to 
make  better  observations  before  we  hoyfe  up  fayles. 
It  will  be  found  great  wifdom  in  difputable  cafes,  not 
to  walk  on  by  twylight,  but  very  cauteoufly;  rather 
by  probationers  for  a  time,  then  peremptory  pofitives. 
Reelings  and  wheelings  in  Church  acts,  are  both  dif 
ficult  and  dif advantageous.  It  is  rather  Chriftian  mo 
desty  than  fhame,  in  the  dawning  of  Reformation,  to 
be  very  perpenfive.  Chrifts  minde  is,  that  Evange- 
licall  policies,  fhould  be  framed  by  Angelicall  mea- 
fures;  not  by  a  line  of  flaxe,  but  by  a  golded  Reed, 
Rev.  21.  15. 

I  feare,  he  that  fayes  the  Presbyterian  and  Inde 
pendent  way,  if  rightly  carryed  doe  not  meet  in  one, 
he  doth  not  handle  his  Compaffes  fo  confiderately  as 
he  fhould. 

I  feare  if  Authority  doth  not  eftablifh  a  futable 
and  peaceable  Government  of  Churches  the  fooner, 

the 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  41 


the  bells  in  all  the  fteeples  will  ring  awke  fo  long,  that 
they  will  hardly  be  brought  into  tune  any  more. 
r.  My  laft,  but  not  leaft  feare,  is,  That  God  will  hardly 
replant  his  Gofpel  in  any  part  of  Chriftendome,  in 
fo  faire  an  Edition  as  is  expected,  till  the  whole  field 
hath  been  fo  ploughed  and  harrowed,  that  the  foile 
be  throughly  cleanfed  and  fitted  for  new  feed:  Or 
whether  he  will  not  tranfplant  it  into  fome  other  Re 
gions,  I  know  not :  This  feare  I  have  feared  thefe  20 
years,  but  upon  what  grounds  I  had  rather  bury  than 
broach. 

I  dare  not  [but  adde  to  what  preceded  about 
Church-reformation,  a  moft  humble  petition,  that  the 
Authority  of  the  Miniftery  be  kept  in  its  due  altitude : 
if  it  be  dropp'd  in  the  duft,  it  will  foon  bee  ftifled: 
Encroachments  on  both  fides,  have  bred  detriments 
enough  to  the  whole.  The  Separatifts  are  content 
their  teaching  Elders  fhould  fit  higheft  on  the  Bench, 
fo  they  may  fit  in  the  Chaire  over-againft  them ;  and 
that  their  Ruling  Elders  fhall  ride  on  the  faddle,  fo 
they  may  hold  the  bridle.  That  they  may  likewife 
havefeafonable  and  honourable  maintenance,  and  that 
certainly  ftated :  which  generally  we  find  and  practife 
here  as  the  beft  way.  When  Elders  live  upon  peo 
ples  good  wills,  people  care  little  for  their  ill  wills, 
be  they  never  fo  juft.  Voluntary  Contributions  or 
non  tributions  of  Members,  put  Minifters  upon 
many  temptations  in  adminiftrations  of  their  Offices, 
two  houres  care  does  more  dif  fpirit  an  ingenuous 
man  than  two  dayes  ftudy :  nor  can  an  Elder  be  gi 
ven  to  hofpitality,  when  he  knowes  not  what  will  be 
given  him  to  defray  it:  it  is  pity  men  of  gifts  fhould 

live 


42  The  Simple  Coller  of 

live  upon  mens  gifts.  I  have  feen  moft  of  the  Refor 
med  Churches  in  Europ,  and  feene  more  mifery  in 
thefe  two  refpects,  then  it  is  meet  others  f hould  hear : 
the  complaints  of  painfull  Pareus,  David  Pareus,  to 
my  felfe,  with  tears,  concerning  the  Germane  Chur 
ches  are  not  to  be  related. 

There  is  yet  a  personall  Reformation,  as  requifite  as 
the  politicall.  When  States  are  fo  reformed,  that  they 
conforme  fuch  as  are  profligate,  into  good  civility: 
civill  men,  into  religious  morality:  When  Churches 
are  fo  conftituted,  that  Faith  is  ordained  Paftour, 
Truth  Teacher,  Holineffe  and  Righteoufneffe  ruling 
Elders:  Wifedome  and  Charity  Deacons:  Know 
ledge,  love,  hope,  zeale,  heavenly-mindedneffe,  meek- 
neffe,  patience,  watchfulneffe,  humility,  diligence,  fo- 
briety,  modefty,  chaftity,  conftancy,  prudence,  con- 
tentation,  innocency,  f incerity,  &c.  admitted  members, 
and  all  their  oppofites  excluded:  then  there  will  bee 
peace  of  Country  and  Confcience. 

Did  the  fervants  of  Chrift  know  what  it  is  to  live 
in  Reformed  Churches  with  unreformed  fpirits,  under 
ftrict  order  with  loofe  hearts,  how  formes  of  Religi 
on  breed  but  formes  of  Godlineffe,  how  men  by 
Church-difcipline,  learne  their  Church-poftures,  and 
there  reft;  they  would  pray  as  hard  for  purity  of 
heart,  as  purity  of  Ordinances.  If  wee  mocke  God 
in  thefe,  He  will  mocke  us;  either  with  defeat  of  our 
hopes ;  or  which  is  worfe :  when  wee  have  what  we  fo 
much  defire,  wee  fhall  be  fo  much  the  worfe  for  it.  It 
was  a  well  falted  fpeech,  uttered  by  an  Englifh  Chri- 
ftian  of  a  Reformed  Church  in  the  Netherlands,  Wee 
have  the  good  Orders  here,  but  you  have  the  good 

Chrifti- 


AGGAVVAM  in  Antnca. 


Chriftians  in  England.  Hee  that  prizes  not  Old  Eng 
land  Graces,  as  much  as  New  England  Ordinances, 
had  need  goe  to  fome  other  market  before  hee  comes 
hither.  In  a  word,  hee  that  is  not  Paftour,  Teacher, 
Ruler,  Deacon  and  Brother  to  himfelfe,  and  lookes 
not  at  Chrift  above  all,  it  matters  not  a  farthing  whe 
ther  he  be  Presbyteran  or  Independent :  he  may  be  a 
zelot  in  bearing  witneffe  to  which  he  likes  beft,  and 
yet  an  Ifcariot  to  both,  in  the  witneffe  of  his  owne 
Confcience. 

I  have  upon  ftrict  obfervation,  feen  fo  much  power 
of  Godlineffe,  and  fpirituall  mindedneffe  in  Englifh 
Chriftians,  living  meerly  upon  Sermons  and  private 
duties,  hardly  come  by,  when  the  Gofpell  was  little 
more  than  fymptomaticall  to  the  State;  fuch  Epi- 
demicall  and  lethall  formality  in  other  difciplinated 
Churches,  that  I  profeffe  in  the  hearing  of  God,  my 
heart  hath  mourned,  and  mine  eyes  wept  in  fecret,  to 
confider  what  will  become  of  multitudes  of  my  dear 
Country-men  when  they  fhall  enjoy  what  they  now 
covet:  Not  that  good  Ordinances  breed  ill  Confci- 
ences,  but  ill  Confciences  grow  ftarke  nought  under 
good  Ordinances ;  infomuch  that  might  I  wifh  an  hy 
pocrite  the  moft  perilous  place  but  Hell,  I  fhould  wifh 
him  a  Memberfhip  in  a  ftrict  Reformed  Church :  and 
might  I  wifh  a  fincere  Servant  of  God,  the  greateft 
greife  earth  can  afford,  I  fhould  wifh  him  to  live  with 
a  pure  heart,  in  a  Church  impurely  Reformed;  yet 
through  the  improvement  of  Gods  Spirit,  that  greife 
may  fanctifie  him  for  Gods  fervice  and  presence,  as 
much  as  the  means  he  would  have,  but  cannot. 

I  fpeak  this  the  rather  to  prevent,  what  in  me  lyes, 

G  the 


44  The  Simple  Colter  of 

the  imprudent  romaging  that  is  like  to  be  in  England, 
from  Villages  to  Townes,  from  Townes  to  Cities, 
for  Churches  fake,  to  the  undoing  of  Societies,  Friend- 
fhips,  Kindreds,  Families,  Heritages,  Callings,  yea, 
the  wife  Providence  of  God  in  difpofing  mens  habi 
tations,  now  in  the  very  Infancy  of  Reformation :  by 
forgetting  that  a  little  leaven  may  feafon  a  large  lump : 
and  it  is  much  better  to  doe  good  than  receive.  It 
were  a  moft  uncharitable  and  unferviceable  part,  for 
good  men  to  defert  their  own  Congregations,  where 
many  may  glorifie  God  in  the  day  of  his  Vifitation, 
for  their  pre  fence  and  affiftance.  If  a  Christian  would 
picke  out  a  way  to  thrive  in  grace,  let  him  ftudy  to 
adminifter  grace  to  them  that  want;  or  to  make  fure 
a  bleffing  upon  his  Family,  let  him  labour  to  mul 
tiply  the  Family  of  Chrift,  and  beleeve,  that  he  which 
foweth  liberally,  fhall  reape  abundantly;  and  he  that 
fpareth  more  than  is  need,  from  them  that  have  more 
need,  fhall  furely  come  to  poverty:  yea,  let  me  fay, 
that  hee  who  forfakes  the  meanes  of  grace  for  Chrift 
and  his  Churches  fake',  fhall  meet  with  a  better  bar- 
gaine,  namely,  grace  it  felfe.  It  is  a  time  now,  when 
full  flockes  fhould  rather  fcatter  to  leane  Churches 
than  gather  from  other  places  to  make  themfelves  fat ; 
when  able  Chriftians  fhould  rather  turne  Jefuites  and 
Seminaries,  than  run  into  Covents  and  Frieries:  had 
this  been  the  courfe  in  the  Primitive  time,  the  Gofpel 
had  been  pinfolded  up  in  a  few  Cities,  and  not  fpread 
as  it  is. 

What  more  ungodly  facriledge  or  man-ftealing  can 
there  be,  then  to  purloin  from  godly  Minifters  the  firft 
born  of  their  fervent  prayers  and  faithfull  preachings, 

J.  v  A  " 

the 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  45 


the  leven  of  their  flocks,  the  incouragement  of  their 
foules,  the  Crowne  of  their  labours,  their  Epiftle  to 
Heaven?  I  am  glad  to  hear  our  New-England  Elders 
generally  deteft  it  difpuenter,  and  look  at  it  as  a  kil 
ling  Cordolium:  If  men  will  needs  gather  Churches 
out  of  the  world  (as  they  fay)  let  them  firft  plough 
the  world,  fow  it,  and  reap  it  with  their  own  hands, 
and  the  Lord  give  them  a  liberall  Harveft.  He  is  a  ve 
ry  hard  man  that  will  reap  where  he  hath  not  fowed, 
and  gathered  where  he  hath  not  ftrowed,  Mat.  24. 25. 

He  that  faith,  it  is  or  was  our  cafe,  doth  not  rightly 
underftand  himfelf  or  us,  and  he  that  takes  his  warrant 
out  of  Joh.  4.  37.38.  is  little  acquainted  with  Expofi- 
tors.  Wifemen  are  amazed  to  hear  that  confcientious 
Minifters  dare  fpoile  many  Congregations  to  make 
one  for  themfelves. 

In  matter  of  Reformation,  this  would  be  remem- 
bred,  that  in  premonitory  judgements,  God  will  take 
good  words,  and  fincere  intents;  but  in  peremptory, 
nothing  but  reall  performances. 

Compofition 

IF  Reformation  were  come  thus  neer,  I  fhould  hope 
Compofition, were  not  farre  off:  When  hearts  meet 
in  God,  they  will  foon  meet  in  Gods  wayes,  and  up 
on  Gods  termes.  But  to  avoid  prolixity , which  fteales 
upon  me;  For  Compofition,  I  fhall  compofe  halfe  a 
dozen  diftichs  concerning  thefe  kind  of  Wars;  wifh- 
ing  I  could  fing  afleep  thefe  odious  ftirs,  at  leaft  on 
fome part,  with  a  dull  Ode.  He  is  no  Cobler  that  can 
not  fing,  nor  no  good  Cobler  that  can  fing  well : 

G  2  Si 


46  The  Simple  Coller  of 


Si  natura  negat,  facit  indignatio  verfum  1     They  are 
Qualemcunque   poteft —Juvenal.}    thefe. 

I, 

H ey  feldome  lofe  the  field,  but  often  win, 
That  end  their  warrs,  before  their  warrs  begin. 

2. 

Their  Caufe  is  oft  the  worft,  that  fir/t  begin, 
And  they  may  lofe  the  field,  the  field  that  win: 

3. 

In  Civill  warrs  'twixt  Subjects  and  their  King, 
There  is  no  conqueft  got,  by  conquering. 

4. 

Warre  ill  begun,  the  onely  way  to  mend, 
Is  fend  the  warre  before  the  warre  doe  end. 

5. 

They  that  well  end  ill  warrs,  must  have  the  skill, 
To  make  an  end  by  Rule,  and  not  by  Will. 

6. 

In  ending  warrs  'tween  Subjects  and  their  Kings, 
Great  things  are  fav'd,  by  lo/ing  little  things. 

Wee  heare  that  Majeftas  Imperil  hath  challenged 
Solus  Populi  into  the  field;  the  one  fighting  for  Pre 
rogatives,  the  other  defending  Liberties:  Were  I  a 
Conftable  bigge  enough,  I  would  fet  one  of  them  by 
the  heeles  to  keep  both  their  hands  quiet;  I  mean  one 
ly  in  a  paire  of  ftocks,  made  of  found  reafon,  hand- 
fomely  fitted  for  the  legges  of  their  Underftanding. 

If  Salus  Populi  began,  furely  it  was  not  that  Salus 
Populi  Heft  in  England:  that  Salus  Populi  was  as  man 
nerly  a  Salus  Populi  as  need  bee :  if  I  be  not  much  de 
ceived,  that  Salus  Populi  fuffer'd  its  nofe  to  be  held  to 
the  Grindftone,  till  it  was  almoft  ground  to  the  grifles 

and 


AGGAVVAM  in  Ancrica.  47 


and  yet  grew  never  the  fharper  for  ought  I  could  di- 
fcerne;  What  was,  before  the  world  was  made,  I 
leave  to  better  Antiquaries  then  my  felfe^but  I  think, 
fince  the  world  began,  it  was  never  ftoried  that  Sa- 
lus  Populi  began  with  Majeftas  Imperil,  unleffe  Ma- 
jeftas  Imperil  firft  unharbour'd  it,  and  hunted  it  to  a 
ftand,  and  then  it  muft  either  turne  head  and  live,  or 
turn  taile  and  die :  but  more  have  been  ftoryed  on  the 
other  hand  than  Majeftas  Imperii  is  willing  to  heare : 
I  doubt  not  but  Majeftas  Imperii  knows,  that  Com 
mon-wealths  coft  as  much  the  making  as  Crownes; 
and  if  they  be  well  made,  would  yet  outfell  an  ill-fa- 
fhioned  Crown,  in  any  Market  overt,  if  they  could  be 
well  vouched. 

But  Preces  &  Lachrymw,  are  the  peoples  weapons : 
fo  are  Swords  and  Piftoles,  when  God  and  Parlia 
ments  bid  them  Arme.  Prayers  and  Tears  are  good 
weapons  for  them  that  have  nothing  but  knees  and 
eyes;  but  moft  men  are  made  with  teeth  and  nailes; 
onely  they  muft  neither  fcratch  for  Liberties,  nor 
bite  Prerogatives,  till  they  have  wept  and  prayed  as 
God  would  have  them.  If  Subjects  muft  fight  for 
their  Kings  againft  other  Kingdomes,  when  their 
Kings  will;  I  know  no  reafon,  but  they  may  fight  a- 
gainft  their  Kings  for  their  own  jKingdomes,  when 
Parliaments  fay  they  may  and  muft :  but  Parliaments 
muft  not  fay  they  muft,  till  God  fayes  they  may. 

I  can  never  beleeve  that  Majeftas  Imperii,  was  ever 
fo  fimple  as  to  think,  that  if  it  extends  it  felf  beyond 
its  due  Artique  at  one  end,  but  Salus  Populi  muff  An- 
tartique  it  as  farre  at  the  other  end,  or  elfe  the  world 
will  be  Excentrick,  and  then  it  will  whirle;  and  if  it 

once 


48  The  Simple  Colter  of 

once  fall  afrwhirling,  ten  to  one,  it  will  whirle  them 
off  firft,  that  fit  in  higheft  Chaires  on  cufhions  filPd 
with  Peacocks  feathers;  and  they  are  like  to  ftand 
their  ground  fafteft,  that  owne  not  one  foot  of  ground 
to  ftand  upon.  When  Kings  rife  higher  than  they 
fhould,  they  exhale  Subjects  higher  than  they  would : 
if  the  Primum  Mobile  fhould  afcend  one  foote  higher 
than  it  is,  it  would  hurry  all  the  nether  wheeles,  and 
the  whole  world  on  fire  in  24  houres.  No  Prince  ex 
ceeds  in  Soveraignty,  but  his  Subjects  will  exceed  as 
f arre  in  fome  vitious  Liberty,  to  abate  their  grief e ;  or 
fome  pernicious  mutiny,  to  abate  their  Prince. 

The  crazy  world  will  crack,  in  all  the  middle  joynts, 
If  all  the  ends  it  hath,  have  not  their  parapoynts. 

Nor  can  I  beleeve  that  Crownes  trouble  Kings 
heads,  to  much  as  Kings  heads  trouble  Crowns :  nor 
that  they  are  flowers  of  Crowns  that  trouble  Crowns, 
but  rather  fome  Nettles  or  Thiftles  miftaken  for 
flowers. 

To  fpeak  plainer  Englifh,  I  have  wondred  thefe 
thirty  years  what  Kings  aile :  I  have  seen  in  my  time, 
the  beft  part  of  twenty  Chriftian  Kings  and  Princes ; 
Yet  as  Chriftian  as  they  were,  fome  or  other  were  ftill 
fcuffiing  for  Prerogatives.  It  muft  be  granted  at  all 
hands,  that  Prcerogativa?  Regis  are  neceffary  Suppor 
ters  of  State :  and  ftately  things  to  ftately  Kings :  but 
if  withall,  they  be  Derogativce  Regno,  they  are  but  lit 
tle  things  to  wife  Kings.  Equity  is  as  due  to  People, 
as  Eminency  to  Princes :  Liberty  to  Subjects,  as  Roy 
alty  to  Kings:  If  they  cannot  walk  together  lovingly 

hand 


AGGAYVAM  in  America.  49 


hand  in  hand,panpo//w,  they  muft  cut  girdles  and  part 
as  good  friends  as  they  may:  Nor  muft  it  be  taken 
offenfively,  that  when  Kings  are  hailing  up  their  top 
gallants,  Subjects  lay  hold  on  their  slablines ;  the  head 
and  body  muft  move  alike :  it  is  nothing  meet  for  me 
to  fay  with  Horace, 

Ut  tu  fortunam,  fie  nos  te  Car'le  feremus. 
But  I  hope  I  may  fafely  fay, 

The  body  beares  the  head,  the  head  the  Crown; 
If  both  beare  not  alike,  then  one  will  down. 

Diftracting  Nature,  calls  for  diftracting  Remedies; 
perturbing  policies  for  difturbing  cures:  if  one  Ex- 
treame  fhould  not  conftitute  its  Anti-Extreame,  all 
things  would  foon  be  in  extremo:  if  ambitious  windes 
get  into  Rulers  Crownes,  rebellious  vapours  will  in 
to  Subjects  Caps,  be  they  ftopt  never  fo  clofe:  Yet 
the  tongues  of  Times  tell  us  of  ten  Preter  royall  U- 
furpations,  to  one  contra-civill  Rebellion. 

Civill  Liberties  and  proprieties  admeafured,  to 
every  man  to  his  true  fuum,  are  the  prima  pura  prin- 
cipia,  propria  quarto  modo,  the  fine  quibus  of  humane 
States,  without  which,  men  are  but  women.  Peoples 
proftrations  of  thefe  things  when  they  may  lawfully 
helpe  it,  are  prophane  proftitutions ;  ignorant  Ideo- 
tifmes,  under-naturall  noddaries;  and  juft  it  is  that 
fuch  as  underfell  them,  fhould  not  re-inherit  them  in 
hafte,  though  they  feek  it  carefully  with  teares.  And 
fuch  ufurpations  by  Rulers,  are  the  unnaturalizings  of 

nature, 


50  The  Simple  Colter  of 


nature,  disfranchifements  of  Freedome,  the  Neronian 
nullifyings  of  Kingdomes:  yea,  I  beleeve  the  Devill 
himfelfe  would  turn  Round-head,  rather  then  fuffer 
thefe  Columnes  of  Common- wealths  to  be  flighted : 
as  he  is  a  creature,  he  fears  decreation ;  as  an  Angell, 
dehominations ;  as  a  Prince,  dif-common-wealthings ; 
as  finite,  thefe  pen-infinite  infolencies,  which  are  the 
moft  finite  Infinites  of  mifery  to  men  on  this  fide  the 
worlds   diffolution;  therefore  it  is,  that  with   Gods 
leave, he  hath  founded  an  alarm  to  all  the  fufque  deques 
pell-mels,  one  and  alls,  now  harrafing  fundry  parts 
of  Chriftendome.    It  is  enough  for  God  to  be  Infinite, 
too  much  for  man  to  be  Indefinite.     He  that  will  flye 
too  high  a  quarry  for  Abfoluteneffe,  fhall  ftoope  as 
much  too  low  before  he  remounts  his  proper  pitch: 
If  Jacob  will  over  top  his  Brother  out  of  Gods  time 
and  way,  we  will  fo  hamftring  him  that  he  fhall  make 
legs  whether  he  will  or  no,  at  his  brothers  approach : 
and  fuch  as  over-run  all  humane  meafure,  fhall  feldom 
return  to  humane  mercy:  There  are  fins  befides  the 
fin  against  the  Holy  Ghoft,  which  fhall  not  be  expia 
ted  by  facrifice  for  temporall  revenge :  I  mean  when 
they  are  boyled  up  to  a  full  confiftence  of  contumacy 
and  impenitency.     Let  abfolute  Demands  or  Com 
mands  be  put  into  one  fcale,  and  indefinite  refufalls 
into  the  other:  All  the  Goldfmiths  in  Cheapefide,  can 
not  tell  which  weighs  heavieft.  Intolerable  griefes  to 
Subjects,  breed  the  Iliaca  pafsio  in  a  body  politick 
which  inf orces  that  upwards  which  f hould  not.  I  fpeak 
thefe  things  to  excufe,what  I  may,  my  Countrymen  in 
the  hearts  of  all  that  look  upon  their  proceedings. 
There  is  a  quadrobulary  faying,  which  paffes  cur 
rent 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  5i 


rent  in  the  Wefterne  World,  That  the  Emperour  is 
Xing  of  Kings,  the  Spaniard,  King  of  Men, the  French 
King  of  Affes,  the  King  of  England,  King  of  Devils. 
By  his  leave  that  firft  brayed  the  fpeech,  they  are  pret 
ty  wife  Devils  and  pretty  honeft;  the  worfe  they  doe, 
is  to  keep  their  Xings  from  devillizing,  &  them  felves 
from  Affing:  Were  I  a  Xing  (a  fimple  fuppofall)  I 
would  not  part  with  one  good  Englif  h  Devil,  for  fome 
two  of  the  Emperours  ivings,  nor  three  of  the  Spani 
ards  Men,  nor  foure  French  Affes;  If  I  did,  I  fhould 
think  my  felfe  an  Affe  for  my  labour.  I  know  nothing 
that  Englifhmen  want,  but  true  Grace,  and  honeft 
pride;  let  them  be  well  furnifht  with  thofe  two,  I  feare 
they  would  make  more  Affes,  then  Spaine  can  make 
men,  or  the  Emperour  Kings.  You  will  fay  I  am  now 
beyond  my  latchet ;  but  you  would  not  fay  fo,  if  you 
knew  how  high  my  latchet  will  ftretch;  when  I  heare 
a  lye  with  a  latchet,  that  reaches  up  to  his  throat  that 
firft  forged  it. 

He  is  a  good  King  that  undoes  not  his  Subjects  by 
any  one  of  his  unlimited  Prerogatives:  and  they  are 
a  good  people,  that  undoe  not  their  Prince,  by  any 
one  of  their  unbounded  Liberties,  be  they  the  veiy 
leaft.  I  am  fure  either  may,  and  I  am  fure  neither 
would  be  trusted,  how  good  foever.  Stories  tell  us 
in  effect,  though  not  in  termes,  that  over-rifen  Kings, 
have  been  the  next  evills  to  the  world,  unto  fallen  An 
gels;  and  that  over-franchifed  people,  are  devills 
with  fmooth  maffles  in  their  mouthes.  A  King  that 
lives  by  Law,  lives  by  love;  and  he  that  lives  above 
Law,  fhall  live  under  hatred  doe  what  he  can.  Sla 
very  and  knavery  goe  as  feldome  afunder,  as  Tyran 
ny  and  Cruelty.  H  I 


52  The  Simple  Cotter  of 


I  have  a  long  while  thought  it  very  poffible,  in  a 
time  of  Peace,  and  in  fome  Kings  Reigne,  for  difert 
Statefmen,  to  cut  an  exquifite  thred  between  Kings 
Prerogatives,  and  Subjects  Liberties  of  all  forts, 
fo  as  COB  far  might  have  his  due,  and  People  their  fhare, 
without  fuch  fharp  difputes.  Good  Cafuifts  would 
cafe  it,  and  cafe  it,  part  it,  and  part  it;  now  it,  and 
then  it,  punctually.  Aquinas,  Suarez  or  Valentia, 
would  have  done  it  long  ere  this,  had  they  not  beene 
Popifh,  I  might  have  faid  Knaviljh;  for  if  they  be  fo 
any  where,  it  is  in  their  Tractates  of  Priviledges. 
Our  Common  Law  doth  well,  but  it  muft  doe  better 
before  things  do  as  they  fhould.  There  are  fomeMaa;- 
imes  in  Law,  that  would  be  taught  to  fpeake  a  little 
more  mannerly,  or  elfe  well  Anti-Maxim *d:  wee  fay, 
the  King  can  doe  a  Subject  no  wrong;  why  may  wee 
not  fay  the  Parliament  can  doe  the  King  no  wrong  ? 
We  fay,  Nullum  tempus  occurrit  Regi  in  taking  wrong; 
why  may  wee  not  fay,  Nullum  tempus  fuccurrit  Regi 
in  doing  wrong  ?  which  I  doubt  will  prove  as  good  a 
Canon  if  well  examined. 

Authority  muft  have  power  to  make  and  keep  peo 
ple  honeft;  People,  honeftly  to  obey  Authority;  both, 
a  joynt-Councell  to  keep  both  fafe.  Morall  Lawes, 
Roy  all  Prerogatives,  Popular  Liberties,  are  not  of 
Mans  making  or  giving,  but  Gods:  Man  is  but  to 
meafure  them  out  by  Gods  Rule :  which  if  mans  wif- 
dome  cannot  reach,  Mans  experience  muft  mend: 
And  thefe  Effentialls,  muft  not  be  EphoriZed  or  Tri- 
buned  by  one  or  a  few  mens  difcretion,  but  lineally 
f auctioned  by  Supreme  Councels.  In  pro-re-nafcent 
occurrences,  which  cannot  be  forefeen;  Diets,  Parli 
aments 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  53 


aments,  Senates,  or  accountable  Commiffions,  must 
have  power  to  confult  and  execute  againft  interfilient 
dangers  and  flagitious  crimes  prohibited  by  the  light 
of  Nature:  Yet  it  were  good  if  States  would  let  Peo 
ple  know  fo  much  before  hand,  by  fome  fafe  woven 
manifefto,  that  groffe  Delinquents  may  tell  no  tales  of 
Anchors  and  Buoyes,  nor  palliate  their  prefumptions 
with  pretence  of  ignorance.  I  know  no  difference  in 
thefe  Effentialls,  between  Monarchies,  Aristocracies, 
or  Democracies;  the  rule  will  be  found,  par-rationall 
fay  Schoolemen  and  Pretorians  what  they  will.  And 
in  all,  the  beft  ftandard  to  meafure  Prerogatives,  is 
the  Plough  ftaffe,  to  meafure  Liberties,  the  Scepter: 
if  the  tearms  were  a  little  altered  into  Loyall  Prero 
gatives  and  Royall  Liberties,  then  we  fhould  be  fure 
to  have  Royall  Kings  and  Loyall  Subjects. 

Subjects  their  King,  the  King  his  Subjects  greets , 
Whilome  the  Scepter  and  the  Plough-ftaffe  meets. 

•  }. 

But  Progenitors  have  had  them  for  four  and  twen 
ty  predeceff ions :  that  would  be  fpoken  in  the  Nor 
man  tongue  or  Cimbrian,  not  in  the  Englifh  or  Scot- 
tifh:  When  a  Conquerour  turnes  Chriftian,  Chriftia- 
nity  turns  Conquerour:  if  they  had  had  them  time  out 
of  minde  of  man,  before  Adam  was  made,  it  is  not  a  pin 
to  the  point  in  foro  rectce  rationis:  Juftice  and  Equity 
were  before  time,  and  will  be  after  it:  Time  hath  nei 
ther  Politicks  nor  Ethicks,  good  nor  evill  in  it;  it  is 
an  empty  thing,  as  empty  as  a  New-Englifh  purfe,  and 
emptier  it  cannot  bee:  a  man  may  break  his  neck  in 
time,  and  in  a  leffe  time  then  he  can  heale  it. 

H  2  But 


54  The  Simple  Cotter  of 

But  here  is  the  deadly  pang,  it  muft  now  be  taken 
by  force  and  dint  of  fword:  I  confeffe  it  is  a  deadly 
pang  to  a  Spirit  made  all  of  flefh,  but  not  to  a  morti 
fied  heart:  it  is  good  to  let  God  have  his  will  as  hee 
pleafe,  when  we  have  not  reafon  to  let  him  have  it  as 
we  fhould;  remembring,  that  hitherto  he  hath  taken 
order  that  ill  Prerogatives  gotten  by  the  Sword, 
fhould  in  time  be  fetcht  home  by  the  Dagger,  if  no 
thing  elfe  will  doe  it :  Yet  I  truft  there  is  both  day  and 
means  to  intervent  this  bargaine.  But  if  they  fhould, 
if  God  will  make  both  King  and  l£ingdome  the  bet 
ter  by  it,  what  fhould  either  lofe  ?  I  am  fure  there  is 
no  great  caufe  for  either  to  make  great  brags. 

Pax  quo  carior,  eo  charior. 

A  peace  well  made,  is  likelieft  then  to  hold, 
When  'tis  both  dearly  bought  and  dearly  fold. 

I  confeffe,  he  that  parts  with  fuch  pearles  to  be  paid 
in  old  iron,  had  need  to  be  pityed  more  by  his  faithfull 
friends,  than  he  is  like  to  be  by  his  falfe  flatterers.  My 
heart  is  furcharged,  I  can  no  longer  forbear. 

MY  Deareft  Lord,  and  my  more  than  dearest  King;  I 
moft  humbly  befeech  you  upon  mine  aged  knees, 
that  you  would  pleafe  to  arme  your  minde  with  pati 
ence  of  proofe,  and  to  intrench  your  felfe  as  deepe  as 
you  can,  in  your  wonted  Royall  meekneffe;  for  I  am 
refolved  to  difplay  my  unfurled  foule  in  your  face, 
and  to  ftorme  you  with  volyes  of  Love  and  Loy 
alty.  You  owe  the  meaneft  true  Subject  you  have, 

a 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  55 


a  clofe  account  of  thefe  open  Warres:  they  are  no 
Arcana  imperil.  Then  give  me  leave  to  inquire  of 
your  Majefty,  what  you  make  in  fields  of  blood, 
when  you  fhould  be  amidft  your  Parliament  of  peace : 
What  you  doe  fculking  in  the  fuburbs  of  Hell,  when 
your  Royall  Pallaces  ftand  defolate,  through  your 
abfence  ?  What  moves  you  to  take  up  Armes  againft 
your  faithfull  Subjects,  when  your  Armes  fhould  bee 
embracing  your  mournfull  Queen  ?  What  incenfes 
your  heart  to  make  fo  many  widdowes  and  Orphans, 
and  among  the  reft  your  owne  ?  Doth  it  become  you, 
the  King  of  the  ftatelieft  If  land  the  world  hath,  to  f  or- 
fake  your  Throne,  and  take  up  the  Manufacture  of 
cutting  your  Subjects  throats,  for  no  other  finne,  but 
for  Deifying  you  fo  over-much,  that  you  cannot  be 
quiet  in  your  Spirit,  till  they  have  pluckt  you  downe 
as  over-low  ?  Doe  your  three  Kingdomes  fo  trouble 
you,  that  they  muft  all  three  be  fet  on  fire  at  once,  that 
when  you  have  done,  you  may  probably  runne  away 
by  their  light  into  utter  darkneffe  ?  Doe  your  three 
Crownes  fit  to  heavy  on  your  head,  that  you  will 
break  the  backs  of  the  three  bodies  that  fet  them  on, 
and  helpt  you  beare  them  fo  honourably  ?  Have  your 
three  Lamb-like  flocks  fo  molefted  you,  that  you  muft 
deliver  them  up  to  the  ravening  teeth  of  evening 
Wolves  ?  Are  you  fo  angry  with  thofe  that  never 
gave  you  juft  caufe  to  be  angry,  but  by  their  to  much 
feare  to  anger  you  at  all,  when  you  gave  them  caufe 
enough?  Are  you  fo  weary  of  Peace,  that  you  will 
never  bee  weary  of  Warre  ?  Are  you  fo  willing  to 
warre  at  home,  who  were  fo  unwilling  to  warre  a- 
broad,  where  and  when  you  fhould  ?  Are  you  fo  wea 
ry 


56  Tie  Simple  Caller  of 


ry  of  being  a  good  King,  that  you  will  leave  your 
felfe  never  a  good  Subject  ?  Have  you  peace  of  Con- 
fcience,  in  inforcing  many  of  your  Subjects  to  fight 
for  you  againft  their  Confcience  ?  Are  you  provided 
with  Anfwers  at  the  great  Tribunall,  for  the  deftructi- 
on  of  fo  many  thoufands,  whereof  every  man  was  as 
good  a  man  as  your  Selfe,  qua  man  ? 

Is  it  not  a  moft  unworthy  part  for  you  to  bee  run 
ning  away  from  your  Subjects  in  a  day  of  battell,  up 
on  whofe  Pikes  you  may  come  fafe  with  your  naked 
breaft  and  welcome  ?  Is  it  honourable  for  you  to  bee 
flying  on  horfes,  from  thofe  that  would  efteeme  it 
their  greatest  honour,  to  beare  you  on  their  humble 
fhoulders  to  your  Chaire  of  Eftate,  and  fet  you  down 
upon  a  Cufhion  ftuffed  with  their  hearts  ?  Is  it  your 
prudence  to  be  inraged  with  your  beft  friends,  for  ad 
venturing  their  lives  to  refcue  you  from  your  worft 
enemies?  Were  I  a  King,  pardon  the  fupposall,  I 
would  hang  that  Subject  by  the  head,  that  would  not 
take  me  by  the  heels,  and  dragge  mee  to  my  Court, 
when  hee  fees  me  fhifting  for  life  in  the  ruined  Coun- 
trey,  if  nothing  elfe  would  doe  it;  And  I  would  ho 
nour  their  very  heels,  that  would  take  me  by  the  very 
head,  and  teach  me,  by  all  juft  meanes,  to  ^ing  it  bet 
ter,  when  they  faw  me  un-Kinging  my  felfe,  and 
Kingdome:  Doe  you  not  know  Sir,  that,  as  when 
your  people  are  ficke  of  the  Kings-evill,  God  hath 
given  you  a  gift  to  heale  them?  fo  when  your  felfe 
are  ficke  of  it,  God  hath  given  the  Parliament  a  gift 
to  heale  you:  Hath  your  Subjects  love  been  fo  great 
to  you,  that  you  will  fpend  it  all,  and  leave  your  chil 
dren  little  or  none  ?  Are  you  fo  exafperated  againft 

wife 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  57 


wife  Scotland,  that  you  will  make  England  your  foole 
or  f oot-ftoole  ?  Is  your  fathers  fonne  growne  more 
Orthodox,  then  his  moft  Orthodox  father,  when  he 
told  his  fonne,  that  a  King  was  for  a  kingdome,  and 
not  a  kingdome  for  a  King?  parallell  to  that  of  the 
Apoftle;  the  husband  is  but  by  the  wife,  but  the  wife 
of  the  husband. 

Is  Majestas  Imperij  growne  fo  kickifh,  that  it  can 
not  ftand  quiet  with  Salus  Populi,  unleffe  it  be  fette 
red?  Are  you  well  advifed,  in  trampling  your  Sub 
jects  fo  under  your  feet,  that  they  can  finde  no  place 
to  be  fafe  in,  but  over  your  head:  Are  you  so  inexo 
rably  offended  with  your  Parliament,  for  fuffering 
you  to  returne  as  you  did,  when  you  came  into  their 
houfe  as  you  did,  that  you  will  ;be  avenged  on  all 
whom  they  reprefent?  Will  you  follow  your  very 
worft  Councell  fo  far,  as  to  provoke  your  very  beft, 
to  take  better  counfell  than  ever  they  did  ?  If  your 
Majefty  be  not  Popifh  as  you  profeffe,  and  I  am  very 
willing  to  beleeve,  why  doe  you  put  the  Parliament 
to  refume  the  facrament  of  the  Alter  in  faying,  the 
King  and  Parliament,  the  King  and  Parliament  ? 
breaking  your  fimple  Subjects  braines  to  underftand 
fuch  myfticall  Parlee-ment  ?  I  queftion  much,  whe 
ther  they  were  not  better  fpeake  plainer  Englif h,  then 
fuch  Latine  as  the  Angels  can  hardly  conftrue,  and 
God  happily  loves  not  to  perfe;  I  can  as  well  admit 
an  ubiquitary  King  as  another,  if  a  King  be  abroad 
in  any  good  affaire ;  but  if  a  J^ing  be  at  home,  and  will 
circumfcribe  himfelfe  at  Oxford,  and  profcribe  or  dif- 
fcribe  his  Parliament  at  Weftminfter9if  that  Parliament 
will  prefcribe  what  they  ought,  without  fuch  para- 

doxing, 


58  The  Simple  Colter  of 

doxing,  I  fhould  think  God  would  fubfcribe  a  Le 
Dieu  le  veult  readily  enough. 

Is  your  Advifera  fuch  a  Suavamen  to  you,  that 
hath  been  fuch  a  Gravamen  to  Religion  and  Peace  ? 
Shall  the  cheife  bearing  wombe  of  your  Xingdome,  be 
ever  fo  conftituted,  that  it  cannot  be  delivered  of  its 
owne  deliverance,  in  what  pangs  foever  it  be,  without 
the  will  of  one  man-midwife,  and  fuch  a  man  as  will 
come  and  not  come,  but  as  he  lift:  nor  bring  a  Par 
liament  to  bed  of  a  well-begotten  Liberty  without  an 
entire  Subfidy?  Doe  not  your  Majefty  being  a 
Schollar,  know  that  it  was  a  truth  long  before  it 
was  fpoken,  that  Mundus  eft  unus  aut  nullus,  that 
there  is  Principium  purum  unum,  which  unites  the 
world  and  all  that  is  in  it;  where  that  is  broken,  things 
fall  afunder,  that  whatfoever  is  duable  or  triable,  is 
fry  able. 

Is  the  Militia  of  your  Kingdome,  fuch  an  orient 
flower  of  your  Crowne,  which  all  good  Herbalifts 
judge  but  a  meere  nettle,  while  it  is  in  any  one  mans 
hand  living?  May  not  you  as  well  challenge  the  ab- 
folute  difpofall  of  all  the  wealth  of  the  Kingdome 
as  of  all  the  ftrength  of  your  Kingdome  ?  Can  you 
put  any  difference?  unleffe  it  bee  this,  that  mens 
hearts  and  bones  are  within  their  skins,  more  proper 
and  intrinfecall,  their  lands  and  cattell  more  externall : 
dare  you  not  concredit  the  Militia,  with  thofe  to 
whom  you  may  betruft  your  heart,  better  then  your 
owne  breaft  ?  Will  they  ever  harme  you  with  the 
Militia,  that  have  no  manner  of  Malitia  againft  you, 
but  for  mif-imploying  the  Militia  againft  them  by  the 
malitia  of  your  ill  Counfellours  ?  What  good  will 

the 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  59 


the  Militia  doe  you  when  you  have  wafted  the  Realm 
of  all  the  beft  Milites  it  hath  ?  May  not  your  Majefty 
fee  through  a  paire  of  Spectacles,  glazed  with  inch- 
board,  that  while  you  have  your  Advifera  in  one 
hand,  and  the  Militia  infthe  other,  you  have  the  necks 
of  your  Subjects  under  your  feet,  but  not  your  heart 
in  your  owne  hand  ?  doe  you  not  knowe  that  malum 
eft,  poffe  malum? 

Hath  Epifcopacy  beene  fuch  a  religious  Jewell  in 
your  State;  that  you  will  fell  all  or  moft  of  your  Co 
ronets,  Caps  of  honour,  and  blue  Garters,  for  fix  and 
twenty  cloth  Caps  ?  and  your  Barons  Cloakes,  for 
fo  many  Rockets,  whereof  ufually  twenty  have  had 
fcarce  good  manners  enough  to  keepe  the  other  fix 
fweet  ?  Is  no  Bifhop  no  King,  fuch  an  oraculous 
Truth,  that  you  will  pawne  your  Crowne  and  life  up 
on  it  ?  if  you  will,  God  may  make  it  true  indeed  on 
your  part:  Had  you  rather  part  with  all,  then  lofe  a 
few  fuperfluous  tumours,  to  pare  off  your  monftrouf- 
neffe  ?  Will  you  be  fo  covetous,  as  to  get  more  then 
you  ought,  by  loofing  more  then  you  need  ?  Have  you 
not  driven  good  Subjects  enough  abroad,  but  you  wil 
alfo  f laughter  them  that  ftay  at  home  ?  Will  you  take 
fuch  an  ill  courfe,  that  no  prayers  can  faften  that  good 
upon  you  we  defier  ?  Is  there  not  fome  worf  root  than 
all  thefe  growing  in  your  Spirit,  bringing  forth  al  this 
bitter  fruit  ?  Againft  which  you  fhould  take  up  Arms, 
rather  then  againft  your  harmeleffe  Subjects  ?  Doe 
you  not  forefee,  into  what  importable  head-tearings 
and  heart-fearchings  you  will  be  ingulfed,  when  the 
Parliament  fhall  give  you  a  mate,  though  but  a 
Stale  ? 

I  Methinkes 


60  The  Simple  Colter  of 

Methinkes  it  fhould  breake  your  heart,  to  fee  fuch  a 
one  as  I,  prefume  fo  much  upon  your  clemency  &  too 
much  upon  your  Majefty,  which  your  felfe  have  fo 
eclipfed  by  the  interpofall  of  your  Selfe  between  your 
Selfe  and  your  Selfe,  that  it  hath  not  ray's  enough 
left,  to  dazle  downe  the  height  of  my  affections  to  the 
awe  of  my  Judgement. 

Tref-Royall  Sir,  I  once  againe  befeech  you,  with 
teares  dropping  from  my  hoary  head,  to  cover  your 
Selfe  as  clofe  as  you  may,  with  the  beft  fhield  of 
goodneffe  you  have:  I  have  fomewhat  more  to  fay, 
which  may  happily  trouble  not  your  Selfe,  but  your 
followers,  more  than  what  is  already  faid.  There  li 
ved  in  your  Realme  and  Reigne  two  whom  I  may 
well  tearme  Prophets,  both  now  in  a  better  Xing- 
dome;  whereof  one  foretold  two  things  concerning 
your  Majefty,  of  thefe  very  proceedings,  long  before 
they  began;  which  being  done  and  paft  fhall  bee  bu 
ried  in  filence :  the  other  made  this  prediction  about 
the  fame  time. 

Charles  will  joyne  himselfe  to  bitter  Griefe, 
joyne  to  God,  and  prove  a  Godly  Chiefe. 

His  words  were  in  profe  thefe,  Xing  Charles  will  come 
into  fetters,  meaning  ftrong  afflictions,  and  then  prove 
as  good  a  Xing,  as  fuch  a  good  Xing  of  Ifrael,  whom 
he  then  named,  but  I  need  not :  he  was  as  inwardly  ac 
quainted  with  the  minde  of  God,  as  fervent  and  fre 
quent  a  Beadfman  for  your  welfare,  and  had  as  reli 
gious  Opticks  of  State,  as  any  man  I  know:  foure 
other  Predictions  he  made,  full  as  improbable  as  this, 

whereof 


AGGAVVAM  in  Amtrica.  61 


whereof  three  are  punctually  performed.  A  good 
Chriftian  being  fometime  in  conflicts  of  Confcience, 
hurried  with  long  tentations,  ufed  this  fpeech  to  my 
felfe,  I  am  now  refolved  to  be  quiet,  for  I  plainly  fee, 
God  will  fave  me  whether  I  will  or  no:  If  your  Ma- 
jefty  would  be  pleafed  to  thinke  fo  in  your  heart,  and 
fay  fo  with  your  mouth,  all  the  good  Subjects  you 
have,  would  fay,  Amen,  till  the  heavens  rang,  and  I 
hope  you  have  few  fo  bad,  but  would  fay,  So  be  it. 

Much  lamented  Sir,  if  you  will  pleafe  to  retire  your 
Selfe  to  your  Clofet,  whither  you  may  moft  fafely 
come,  and  make  your  peace  with  God,  for  the  vaft  he 
ritage  of  finne  your  Intombed  father  left  upon  your 
fcore,  the  dreadfull  Imprecation  he  poured  upon  the 
heads  of  his  tender  pofterity  in  Summerfets  and  Over- 
buryes  Cafe,  publifhed  in  Starchamber  by  his  Royall 
command;  your  own  finful  mariage,  the  fophiftication 
of  Religion  and  Policie  in  your  time,  the  luxury  of 
your  Court  and  Country,  your  connivence  with  the 
Irifh  butcheries,  your  forgetfull  breaches  upon  the 
Parliament,  your  compliance  with  Popifh  Doegs, 
with  what  elfe  your  Confcience  fhall  fuggeft:  and 
give  us,  your  guilty  Subjects  example  to  doe  the  like, 
who  have  held  pace  and  proportion  with  you  in  our 
evill  wayes:  we  will  helpe  you  by  Gods  affiftance, 
to  poure  out  rivers  of  tears,  to  wafh  away  the  ftreams 
of  blood,  which  have  beene  fhed  for  thefe  heavy  ac 
counts;  wee  will  alfo  helpe  you,  God  helping  us,  to 
beleeve,  that  there  is  hope  in  Ifrael  for  thefe  things ; 
and  Balme  enough  in  his  Gilead  to  heale  all  the  bro 
ken  bones  of  your  three  kingdomes,  and  to  redouble 
your  honour  and  our  peace:  His  Arme  is  infinite;  to 

12  an 


62  Tie  Simple  Colter  of 


an  infinite  power  all  things  are  equally  faifible,  to  an 
infinite  mercy  all  finnes  equally  pardonable.  The 
Lord  worke  thefe  things  in  us  and  for  us,  for  his  com- 
paffions  fake  in  Jefus  Chirft. 

Sir,  you  may  now  pleafe  to  difcover  your  Selfe 
where  you  think  meet;  I  truft  I  have  not  indangered 
you:  I  prefume  your  Ear-guard  will  keepfarre  enough 
from  you,  what  ever  I  have  faid :  be  it  fo,  I  have  dif- 
charged  my  duty,  let  them  looke  to  theirs.  If  my 
tongue  fhould  reach  your  eares,  which  I  little  hope 
for;  let  it  be  once  faid;  the  great  King  of  great  Bri- 
taine,  took  advife  of  a  fimple  Cobler,  yet  fuch  a  Cob- 
ler,  as  will  not  exchange  either  his  blood  or  his  pride, 
with  any  Shoo-maker  or  Tanner  in  your  Realme,  nor 
with  any  of  your  late  Bifhops  which  have  flattered 
you  thus  in  peeces :  I  would  not  fpeak  thus  in  the  eares 
of  the  world,  through  the  mouth  of  the  Preffe  for  all 
the  plunder  your  plunderers  have  pillaged;  were  it 
not  fomewhat  to  abate  your  Royall  indignation  to 
ward  a  loyall  Subject;  a  Subject  whofe  heart  hath 
been  long  carbonado 'd,  des  veniam  verbo,  in  flames  of 
affection  towards  you.  Your  Majefty  knowes  or  may 
know,  time  was,  when  I  did,  or  would  have  done 
you  a  better  peece  of  fervice,  then  all  your  Troopes 
and  Regiments  are  now  doing.  Should  I  heare  any 
Gentleman  that  followes  you,  of  my  yeares,  fay  hee 
loves  you  better  than  I,  if  it  were  lawfull,  I  would 
fweare  by  my  Sword,  he  faid  more  then  his  fword 
would  make  good. 

Gracious  Sir,  Vouchfafe  to  pardon  me  my  no  other 
fins,  but  my  long  Idolatry  towards  you,  and  my  lo 
ving  you  too  hard  in  this  fpeech,  and  I  will  pardon 

you 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  63 


you  your  Treafon  againft  me,  even  me,  by  commit- , 

T«        >n         *•  •     p.  01    ir»  TII   IT-          termed  of  Di- 

tmg  Ireafon  againlt  your  belie  my  JLord  and  King;vinitynotof 
and  your  murther,  in  murthering  me,  even  me,  by  Law  and  am 
murthering  my  deare  fellow  Subjects,  •  bone  of  myvedthatiam 
bone,  and  flefh  of  my  flefh,  and  of  yours  alfo.  If  you  forcedto  fuch 

.„  T       MI  i  <-  i<»        i        11    •     nece f far v over- 

Will  not  pardon  me,  1  will  pardon  my  lelte,  dwell  m\ 

my  owne  clothes  as  long  as  I  can,  and  happily  make 
as  good  a  fhift  for  my  proportion,  as  he  that  hath  a 
lighter  paire  of  heeles:  And  when  you  have  done 
what  you  pleafe,  I  am  refolved  to  be 

As  loyall  a  Subject  to  your  Majefty  when  I 
have  never  a  head  on  my  fhoulders,  as 
you  a  Royall  King  to  me,  when  you  have 
your  three  Crownes  on  your  head, 

Theod:  de    la    Guard: 

Sir, 

I  Cannot  give  you  over  thus;  I  moft  earneftly  im 
plore  you,  that  you  would  not  deferre  to  confide r 
your  felfe  throughly,  you  are  now  returned  to  the 
brinke  of  your  Honour  and  our  Peace,  ftand  not  too 
long  there,  your  State  is  full  of  diftractions,  your 
people  of  expectations,  the  importune  Affaires  of 
your  Kingdome  perplexedly  fufpended,  your  good 
Subjects  are  now  rifing  into  a  refolution  to  pray  you 
on  to  your  Throne,  or  into  your  Tombe,  into  Grace 
with  your  Parliament  and  people,  or  into  Glory  with 
the  Saints  in  Heaven;  but  how  you  will  get  into  the 
one,  without  paffing  firft  through  th  'other,  is  the  rid 
dle  they  cannot  untye.  If  they  fhall  ply  the  Throne 

of 


64  The  Simple  Cotter  of 


of  Grace  hard,  God  will  certainely  heare,  and  in  a 
fhort  time  mould  you  to  his  minde,  and  convince  you, 
that  it  had  and  will  bee  farre  eafier  to  fit  downe 
meekely  upon  the  Rectum,  than  to  wander  refolutely 
in  obliquities,  which  with  Kings,  feldome  faile  to 
diffembogue  into  bottomleffe  Seas  of  forrowes. 

Deareft  Sir,  be  intreated  to  doe  what  you  doe  fin- 
cerely;  the  King  of  Heaven  and  Earth  can  fearch  and 
difcover  the  hiddeneft  corner  of  your  heart,  your  Par 
liament  underftands  you  farre  better  then  you  may 
conceive,  they  have  many  eares  and  eyes,  and  good 
ones,  I  beleeve  they  are  Religioufly  determined  to 
re-cement  you  to  your  Body  fo  exquifitely,  that  the 
Errors  of  State  and  Church,  routed  by  thefe  late  ftirs, 
may  not  re-allee  hereafter,  nor  Themfelves  be  made  a 
curfe  to  the  iffue  of  their  own  bodies,  nor  a  Scoffe,  to 
allJPolitique  Bodies  in  Europe.  The  Lord  give  your 
Majefty  and  all  your  Royall  Branches  the  fpirit  of 
wifedome  and  under f landing,  the  Spirit  of  knowledge 
and  his  feare,  for  His  mercy  and  Chrift  his  fake. 

I  would  my  skill  would  ferve  me  alfo,  as  well  as 
my  heart,  to  tranflate  Prince  Rupert,  for  his  Queen- 
mothers  fake,  Eliz.  a  fecond.  Mifmeane  me  not.  I 
have  had  him  in  my  armes  when  he  was  younger,  I 
wifh  I  had  him  there  now:  if  I  miftake  not,  he  pro- 
mifed  then  to  be  a  good  Prince,  but  I  doubt  he  hath 
forgot  it:  if  I  thought  he  would  not  be  angry  with 
me,  I  would  pray  hard  to  his  Maker,  to  make  him  a 
right  Roundhead,  a  wife  hearted  Palatine,  a  thank- 
full  man  to  the  Englifh;  to  forgive  all  his  finnes,  and 
at  length  to  fave  his  foule,  notwithftanding  all  his 
God-damne  mee's:  yet  I  may  doe  him  wrong;  I  am 

not 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  65 


not  certaine  hee  ufeth  that  oath;  I  wifh  no  man  elfe 
would;  I  dare  fay  the  Devills  dare  not.  I  thank  God 
I  have  lived  in  a  Colony  of  many  thoufand  Englifh 
thefe  twelve  years,  am  held  a  very  fociable  man; 
yet  I  may  confiderately  fay,  I  never  heard  but  one 
Oath  fworne,  nor  never  faw  one  man  drunk,  nor  e- 
ver  heard  of  three  women  Adultereffes,  in  all  this 
time,  that  I  can  call  to  minde:  If  thefe  finnes  bee  a- 
mongft  us  privily,  the  Lord  heale  us.  I  would  not  bee 
underftood  to  boaft  of  our  innocency;  there  is  no 
cause  I  fhould,our  hearts  maybe  bad  enough, and  our 
lives  much  better.  But  to  follow  my  bufineffe. 

Profecutions  of  Warres  between  a  King  and  his 
Parliament,  are  the  direfull  dilacerations  of  the  wrorld, 
the  cruell  Cataftrophes  of  States,  dreadful!  to  fpeak 
of ;  they  are  nefanda  &  n' agenda:  I  know  no  grounds 
can  be  given  of  them  but  two:  Either  upon  Reafon 
founded  upon  fome  furmifall  of  Treafon,  which  my 
reafon  cannot  reach:  I  could  never  conceive  why  a 
rationall  King  fhould  commit  Treafon  againft  a  rea- 
fonable  Parliament;  or  how  a  faithfull  Parliament  a- 
gainft  their  lawfull  King:  the  moft  I  can  imagine,  is 
a  mifprifion  of  Treafon,  upon  a  mifprifion  of  Reafon. 
He  that  knows  not  the  fpirit  of  his  King,  is  an  Atheift. 
Our  King  is  not  Charles  le  fimple  fometime  of  France: 
he  understands  not  our  King  that  underftands  him  not 
to  bee  underftanding.  The  Parliament  is  fuppofed 
Omnifcient,  becaufe  under  God  they  are  Omnipo 
tent  :  if  a  Parliament  have  not  as  much  knowledge  and 
all  other  Vertues,  as  all  the  kingdome  befide,  they  are 
no  good  Abridgement  of  the  Common-wealth.  I  be- 
leeve  Remonftrances  have  demonftrated  enough  con- 

cer- 


66  The  Simple  Colter  of 


cerning  this  point  of  Reafon,  to  give  fatisf action  to 
fuch  as  fatisf  action  will  fatisfie. 

Or  upon  Will. 

The  Will  of  a  King  is  very  numinous;  it  hath  a 
kinde  of  vaft  univerfality  in  it,  it  is  many  times  grea 
ter  then  the  will  of  his  whole  kingdome,  ftiffened 
with  ill  Counfell  and  ill  Prefidents :  if  it  be  not  a  foot 
and  half  leffer  than  the  Will  of  his  Councell,  and 
three  foot  leffer  than  the  Will  of  his  Parliament,  it  is 
too  big.  I  think  it  were  well  for  a  King  if  hee  had  no 
will  at  all,  but  were  all  Reafon.  What  if  he  commit 
ted  his  morall  will  to  Divines,  that  were  no  Bifhops  ? 
his  Politicall,  to  his  Parliament,  and  a  Councell  cho- 
fen  by  Parliament  ?  that  if  ever  it  mifcarry,  they  may 
blame  themfelves  moft,  and  him  leaft.  I  fcarce  know 
any  King  that  hath  fuch  advantage  as  ours;  his  three 
kingdomes  lye  fo  diftinct  and  entire,  that  if  he  pleafe, 
he  might  keep  them  like  three  gardens  without  a  weed, 
if  he  would  let  God  keep  his  will,  without  wilfulneffe 
and  rafhneffe. 

I  have  obferved  men  to  have  two  kindes  of  Wills, 
a  Free-hold  will,  fuch  as  men  hold  in  Capite  of  them 
felves;  or  a  Copy-hold  will,  held  at  the  will  of  other 
Lords  or  Ladies.  I  have  read  almoft  all  the  Com 
mon  Law  of  England,  and  fome  Statutes;  yet  I  ne 
ver  read,  that  the  Parliament  held  their  will  in  fuch 
a  Capite:  their  Tenure  is  Knight- fervice,  and  good 
Knight- fer vice  too,  or  elfe  they  are  to  blame.  And 
I  am  fure,  a  King  cannot  hold  by  Copy,  at  the  will  of 
other  Lords;  the  Law  calls  that  bafe  tenure,  incon- 
fiftent  with  Royalty;  much  more  bafe  is  it,  to  hold 

at 


AGQAVVAM  in  America.  57 


at  the  will  of  Ladies:  Apron-ftring  tenure  is  very 
weak,  tyed  but  of  a  flipping  knot,  which  a  childe  may 
undoe,  much  more  a  -King.  It  ftands  not  with  our 
Queens  honour  to  weare  an  Apron,  much  leffe  her 
Husband,  in  the  ftrings;  that  were  to  infnare  both 
him  and  her  felf  in  many  unfafeties.  I  never  heard  our 
King  was  effeminate:  to  be  a  little  Uxorious  per- 
fonally,  is  a  vertuous  vice  in  Oeconomicks;  but  Roy 
ally,  a  vitious  vertue  in  Politicks.  To  fpeak  Englifh, 
Books  &  Tongues  tell  us,  I  wifh  they  tell  us  true,  that 
the  Error  of  thefe  Wars  on  our  lungs  part,  proceeds 
only  from  ill  Counfellours. 

Ill  Counfellours,  are  very  ill  Gamefters;  if  they  fee 
their  own  ftake  a  lofing,  they  will  play  away  King, 
Queen,  Bifhops,  knights,  Rooks,  Pawnes,  and  all,  be 
fore  they  will  turn  up  the  board;  they  that  play  for 
lufts,  will  play  away  themfelves,  and  not  leave  them- 
felves  fo  much  as  a  heart  to  repent;  and  then  there  is 
no  Market  left  but  Hell;  if  the  cafe  be  thus,  it  is  to  no 
end  to  look  for  any  end,  till  one  fide  make  an  end  of 
the  other. 

They  that  at  /take  their  Crownes  and  Honours  fet, 
Play  la/ting  games,  if  Luft  or  Guilt  doe  bet. 


Ceffation. 

IF  God  would  vouchfafe  to  give  his  Majefties  Re 
ligion  and  Reafon,  power  to  fling  his  Wills  head  o- 
ver  the  Wall,  in  matter  of  Composition,  and  his  Sub 
jects  ftrength  to  throw  their  lufts  after  it,  Arms  would 
be  foon  laid  down,  and  Peace  foon  taken  up.  They 
that  are  not  at  peace  with  God,  are  not  at  peace  with 

K  them- 


68  The  Simple  Coller  of 

themfelves,  whatever  they  think;  and  they  that  are  not 
at  peace  with  themfelves,  cannot  be  at  peace  with  o- 
thers,  if  occafion  provokes,  be  their  nature  never  fo 
good. 

So  farre  as  I  can  conjecture,  the  chiefe  impediment 
to  a  generall  and  mutuall  Ceffation  of  Armes,  is,  a  de- 
fpaire  of  mutuall  and  generall  forgiveneffe.  If  ever 
England  had  need  of  a  generall  Jubile  in  Heaven  and 
Earth,  it  is  now.  Our  King  and  Parliament  have  been 
at  great  ftrife,  who  fhould  obtaine  moft  Juftice:  if 
they  would  now  ftrive,  who  fhould  fhew  moft  Mer 
cy,  it  wrould  heare  well  throughout  the  world.  Here 
alfo  my  fpeech  muft  be  twofold  and  blind-fold.  It  is 
now  nine  Moneths  arid  more  fince  the  laft  credible 
Newrs  was  acted:  it  is  poffible  by  this,  the  Parlia 
ment  may  be  at  the  Kings  mercy:  Did  I  fay  a  .Kings 
mercy  ?  what  can  I  fay  more  ?  no  man  on  earth,  can 
fhew  more  mercy  then  a  King,  nor  fhall  need  more, 
when  he  comes  to  give  an  Account  of  his  Kingdome : 
Nor  did  ever  any  Parliament  merit  more  mercy  than 
this,  for  they  never  finned,  that  I  know,  I  mean  againft 
the  Common  and  Statute  Law  of  England:  it  is  pity 
they  who  have  given  fo  many  general  pardons,  fhould 
want  one  now. 

If  our  King  hath  loft  his  way,  and  therby  learned  to 
looke  to  his  path  better  hereafter,  and  taught  many 
Succeffors  to  King  it  right  for  many  Ages;  Methinks 
it  fhould  impetrate  a  Royall  Redintegration,  upon  a 
Royall  acknowledgement  and  ingagement.  But  how 
fhould  an  erring  King  truft  a  provoked  Parliament  ? 
Surely  he  may  truft  God  fafe  enough;  who  will  never 
truft  that  State  more  with  a  good  King,  that  will  doe 
ill  to  a  Xing  that  is  turned  fo  good.  Me  thinkes  thofe 

paffages 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  69 


paffages  of  Scripture,  Efa.  43.  24,  25.  chap.  57.  17,  18. 
The  ftrange  illation, H of.  2.  13,14.  fhould  melt  a  heart 
of  fteele  into  floods  of  mercy. 

For  others,  were  my  head,  one  of  the  heads  which 
firft  gave  the  King  Counfell  to  take  up  thefe  Armes, 
or  to  perfift  in  them,  when  at  any  time  he  would  have 
disbanded,  I  would  give  that  head  to  the  Kingdome, 
whether  they  would  or  no;  if  they  would  not  cut  it 
off,  I  would  cut  it  off  my  felfe,  and  tender  it  at  the  Par 
liament  doore,  upon  condition  that  all  other  heads 
might  ftand,  which  ftand  upon  penitent  hearts,  and 
will  doe  better  on  than  off;  then  I  would  carry  it  to 
London-Bridge,  and  charge  my  tongue  to  teach  all 
tongues,  to  pronounce  Parliament  right  hereafter. 

When  a  kingdom  is  broken  juft  in  the  neck  joynt,  in 
my  poore  policy,  ropes  and  hatchets  are  not  the  kind- 
Heft  inftrurnents  to  fet  it:  Next  to  the  fpilling  of  the 
blood  of  Chrift  for  fin,  the  fparing  of  the  blood  of  fin- 
ners,  where  it  may  be  as  well  fpared  as  fpilt,  is  the  beft 
way  of  expiation.  It  is  no  rare  thing  for  Subjects  to 
follow  a  leading  King;  if  he  will  take  his  truncheon 
in  his  hand,  it  is  to  be  expected  many  will  put  their 
f words  in  their  Belts.  Sins  that  rife  out  of  miftake  of 
judgement,  are  not  fo  finfull  as  thofe  of  malice  ordi 
narily:  and  when  multitudes  fin,  multitudes  of  mercy 
are  the  beft  Anodines. 

-gratia  gratis  data,  gratifsima. 

Grace  will  di/folve,  but  rigour  hardens  guilt: 
Break  not  with  Steely  blows,  what  oyle  fhould  melt. 

K  2  In 


70  The  Simple  Colkr  of 


In  Breaches  integrant,  'tween  Principalls  of  States, 
Due  Juftice  may  fuppreffe,  but  Love  redintegrates.  $ , 

Whofoever  be  pardoned,  I  pray  let  not  Britanicus 
fcape,  I  mean  a  pardon.  I  take  him  to  bee  a  very  fer- 
viceable  Gentleman;  Out  of  my  intire  refpect  to 
him,  I  fhall  prefume  to  give  him  half  a  dozen  ftitches 
of  advife: 

I  intreat  him  to  confider  that  our  King  is  not  onely 
a  man,  but  a  King  in  affliction;  Kings  afflictions  are 
beyond  Subjects  apprehenfions ;  a  Crown  may  hap 
pily  ake  as  much  as  a  whole  Common- wealth. 

I  defire  him  alfo  to  conceale  himfelf  as  deeply  as  he 
can,  if  he  cannot  get  a  fpeciall  pardon,  to  weare  a  La- 
titat,  about  his  neck,  or  let  him  lie  clofe  under  the  Phi- 
lofophers  ftone,  and  I'le  warrant  him  for  ever  being 
found. 

If  he  be  dif covered,  I  counfell  him  to  get  his  head 
fetion  fafter  than  our  New-England  Taylors  ufe  to  fet 
on|Buttons;  Kings,  and  Kings  Childrens  memories 
are  as  keen  as  their  Subjects  wits. 

If  he  fears  any  fuch  thing,  that  he  would  come  over 
to  us,  to  helpe  recruite  our  bewildered  brains:  we  will 
promife  to  maintain  him  fo  long  as  he  lives,  if  he  will 
promife  to  live  no  longer  then  we  maintain  him. 

If  he  fhould  bee  difcovered  and  his  head  chance  to 
be  cut  off  againft  his  will,  I  earneftly  befeech  him  to 
bequeath  his  wits  to  me  and  mine  in  Fee-fimple,  for 
we  want  them,  and  cannot  live  by  our  hands  in  this 
Country. 

Laftly,  I  intreat  him  to  keep  his  purfe,  I  give  him 

my 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  *       71 


my  counfell  gratis,  conf effing  him  to  be  more  then 
my  match,  and  that  I  am  very  loath  to  fall  into  his 
hands. 

•^      O'lj 

Profecution. 

IF  Reformation,  Compofition,  Ceffation,  can  finde 
no  admittance,  there  muft  and  will  be  Profecution : 
to  which  I  would  alfo  fpeake  briefly  and  indifferently 
ftill  to  both  fides ;  and  firft  to  that,  which  I  had  rather 
call  Royalifts  then  malignants;  who  if  I  miftake  not, 
fight  againft  the  Truth. 

Foolifh  Cowardly  man  (I  pray  patience,  for  I 
fpeak  nothing  but  the  pulfe  of  my  owne  heart)  dreads 
and  hates,  nothing  in  Heaven  or  Earth,  fo  much  as 
Truth:  it  is  not  God,  nor  Law,  nor  finne,  nor  death, 
nor  hell,  that  he  feares,  but  only  becaufe  hee  feares 
there  is  Truth  in  them:  Could  he  de-truth  them  all, 
he  would  defie  them  all:  Let  Perdition  it  felfe  come 
upon  him  with  deadly  threats,  fiery  fwords,  difplay- 
ed  vengeance,  he  cares  not;  Let  Salvation  come  cap 
in  hand,  with  naked  Reafon,  harmleffe  Religion, 
lawny  imbracements,  he  will  rather  flye  or  dye,  than 
entertaine  it:  come  Truth  in  what  fhape  it  will,  hee 
will  reject  it:  and  when  hee  can  beat  it  off  with  moft 
fteely  proweffe,  he  thinkes  himfelfe  the  braveft  man 
when  in  truth  it  is  nothing  but  exfanguine  feeble  exili 
ty  of  Spirit.  Thy  heart,  faith  the  Prophet  Ezek.  16. 
30.  is  weake,  like  the  heart  of  an  imperious  whorifh 
woman:  a  man  would  thinke,  the  heart  of  an  impe 
rious  whore,  were  the  very  pummell  of  Scanderbergs; 
fword;  alas,  fhee  is  hen-hearted,  fhee  dares  not  looke 
Truth  in  the  face ;  if  f he  dared,  fhee  would  neither  bee 

K  3  who- 


72  Tie  Simple  Ccbler  of 

whorifh,  nor  imperious,  nor  weake.  He  fhewes  more 
true  fortitude,  that  prayes  quarter  of  the  leaft  Truth,  at 
a  miles  diftance,  than  hee  that  breakes  through  and 
hewes  downe  the  moft  Theban  Phalanx  that  ever 
field  bore.  Paul  expreffed  more  true  valour,  in  faying, 
I  can  doe  nothing  againft  the  Truth,  than  Goliah,  in 
defying  the  whole  hofte  of  Ifrael. 

Couragious  Gentlemen,  Yee  that  will  ftab  him 
that  gives  you  the  lye;  take  heed  yee  fpend  not  your 
bloods,  limbes  and  foules,  in  fighting  for  fome  un 
truth:  and  yee  that  will  fling  out  the  gantlet  to  him 
that  calls  you  Coward,  difhonour  not  your  felves 
with  fuch  Cowardife,  as  to  fight  againft  Truth,  meer- 
ly  for  feare  of  it.  A  thoufand  pities  it  is  fuch  gallant 
Spirits  fhould  fpend  their  lives,  honours,  heritages, 
and  fweet  relations  in  any  Warres,  where,  for  ought 
many  of  them  know,  fome  falfe  miftake  commands 
in  Cheife. 

Honoured  Country  men,  bee  intreated  to  love 
Truth :  if  it  loves  not  you  againe,  and  repaires  not  all 
your  loffes,  then  inftall  fome  Untruth  in  its  room  for 
your  Generall.  If  you  will  needs  warre,  be  perfwa- 
ded  to  contend  lawfully,  wifely  and  ftedfaftly  againft 
all  errours  in  Divinity  and  Policy:  they  are  the  cur- 
fed  Counter-mures,  dropt  Portcullifes,  fcouring 
Angi-ports,  fulphurious  Granado's,  laden  murthe- 
rers,  peevifh  Galthropes,  and  rafcall  defparadoes, 
which  the  Prince  of  lyes  imployes  with  all  his  skill 
and  malice,  to  maintaine  the  walls  and  gates  of  his 
kingdome,  when  Truth  would  enter  in  with  grace  and 
peace  to  fave  f orlorne  f inners,  and  diftreffed  common- 
wealthes;  witneffe  the  prefent  deplorable  eftate  of 
fundry  States  in  Europe.  Give 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  73 


Give  me  leave  to  fpeake  a  word  more:  it  is  but 
this;  Yee  will  finde  it  a  farre  eafier  field,  to  wage 
warre  againft  all  the  Armies  that  ever  were  or  will  be 
on  Earth,  and  all  the  Angels  of  Heaven,  than  to  take 
up  Armes  againft  any  truth  of  God:  It  hath  more 
Counfell  and  ftrength  than  all  the  world  befides;  and 
will  certainly  either  gaine  or  ruine,  convert  or  fubvert 
every  man  that  oppofes  it.  I  hope  ingenuous  men 
will  rather  take  advice,  then  offence  at  what  I  have 
faid:  I  had  rather  pleafe  ten,  than  grieve  one  intelli 
gent  man. 

If  this  fide  be  refolute,  I  turne  me  to  the  other. 

Goe  on  brave  Englifhmen,  in  the  name  of  God,  go 
on  profperouf ly,  becaufe  of  Truth  and  Righteoufnes : 
Yee  that  have  the  caufe  of  Religion,  the  life  of  your 
Kingdome  and  of  all  the  good  that  is  in  it  in  your 
hands:  Goe  on  undauntedly:  As  you  are  Called  and 
Chofen,  fo  be  faithfull:  Yee  fight  the  battells  of  the 
Lord,  bee  neither  def idious  nor  perfidious :  You  ferve 
the  King  of  Kings,  who  f tiles  you  his  heavenly  Re 
giments,  Confider  well,  what  impregnable  fighting 
it  is  in  heaven,  where  the  Lord  of  Hofts  is  your  Ge- 
nerall,  his  Angels  your  Colonels,  the  Stars  your  fel- 
low-fouldiers,  his  Saints  your  Oratours,  his  Promifes 
your  victuallers,  his  Truth  your  Trenches;  wrhere 
Drums  are  Harps,  Trumpets  joyfull  founds;  your 
Enfignes  Chrifts  Banners;  where  your  weapons  and 
armour  are  fpirituall,  therefore  irrefiftable,  therefore 
impierceable ;  where  Sun  and  wind  cannot  dif advan 
tage  you,  you  are  above  them;  where  hell  it  felfe  can 
not 


74  The  Simple  Cotter  of 


not  hurt  you,  where  your  fwords  are  furbufhed  and 
fharpened  by  him  that  made  their  metall,  where  your 
wounds  are  Tbound  up  with  the  oyle  of  a  good  Caufe, 
where  your  blood  runs  into  the  veynes  of  Chrift, 
where  fudden  death  is  prefent  martyrdome  and  life; 
your  funerals  refurrections  your  honour  glory;  where 
your  widows  and  babes  are  received  into  perpetuall 
penfions;  your  names  lifted  among  Davids  Worthies; 
where  your  greatest  loffes  are  greateft  gaines;  and 
where  you  leave  the  troubles  of  war,  to  lye  down  in 
downy  beds  of  eternall  reft.  fH 

What  good  will  it|doe  you,  deare  Countrymen,  to 
live  without  lives,  to^enjoy  England  without  the  God 
of  England,  your  Kingdome  without  a  Parliament, 
your  Parliament  without  power,  your  Liberties  with 
out  ftability,  your  Lawes  without  Juftice,  your  ho 
nours  without  vertue,  your  beings  without  wel-being, 
your  wives  without  honefty,  your  children  without 
morality,  your  fervants  without  civility,  your  lands 
without  propriety,  your  goods  without  immunity,  the 
Gofpel  without  falvation,  your  Churches  without 
Miniftery,  your  Minifters  without  piety,  and  all  you 
have  or  can  have,  with  more  teares  ana  bitterneffe  of 
heart,  than  all  you  have  and  fhall  have  will  fweeten 
or  wipe  away? 

Goe  on  therefore  Renowned  Gentlemen,  fall  on 
refolvedly,  till  your  hands  cleave  to  your  fwords,  your 
fwords  to  your  enemies  hearts,  your  hearts  to  victory, 
your  victories  to  triumph,  your  triumphs  to  the  ever- 
lafting  praife  of  him  that  hath  given  you  Spirits  to 
offer  your  felves  willingly,  and  to  jeopard  your  lives 
in  high  perils,  for  his  Name  and  fervice  fake. 

And 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  75 


And  Wee  your  Brethren,  though  we  neceffarily  a- 
bide  beyond  Jordan,  and  remaine  on  the  American 
Sea-coafts,  will  fend  up  Armies  of  prayers  to  the 
Throne  of  Grace,  that  the  God  of  power  and  good- 
neffe,  would  incourage  your  hearts,  cover  your  heads, 
ftrengthen  your  arms,  pardon  your  finnes,  fave  your 
foules,  and  bleffe  your  families,  in  the  day  of  Battell. 
Wee  will  alfo  pray,  that  the  fame  Lord  of  Hofts, 
would  dif cover  the  Counfels,  defeat  the  Enterprizes, 
deride  the  hopes,  difdaine  the  infolencies,  and  wound 
the  hairy  fcalpes  of  your  obftinate  Enemies,  and  yet 
pardon  all  that  are  unwillingly  mifled.  Wee  will 
likewife  helpe  you  beleeve  that  God  will  be  feen  on 
the  Mount,  that  it  is  all  one  with  him  to  fave  by  ma 
ny  or  few,  and  that  he  doth  but  humble  and  try  you 
for  the  prefent,  that  he  may  doe  you  good  at  the  lat 
ter  end.  All  which  hee  bring  to  paffe  who  is  able  to 
doe  exceeding  abundantly,  above  all  we  can  aske  or 
thinke,  for  his  Truth  and  mercy  fake  in  Jefus  Chrift. 
Amen.  Amen. 


A  Word  of  IRELAND: 

Not  of  the  Nation  univerfally,  nor  of  any  man  in 

it,  that  hath  fo  much  as  one  haire  of  Chriftianity  or 

Humanity  growing  on  his  head  or  beard,  but 

onely  of  the  truculent  Cut-throats,  and 

fuch  as  /hall  take  up  Armes 

in  their  Defence. 

THefe  Irifh  anciently  called  Antropophagi,  man- 
eaters:  Have    a    Tradition    among    them,   That 

L  when 


76  The  Simple  CoUtr  of 


when  the  Devill  f  he  wed  our  Saviour  all  the  Xing- 
domes  of  the  Earth  and  their  glory,  that  he  would 
not  f  hew  him  Ireland,  but  referved  it  for  himfelf e :  it 
is  probably  true,  for  he  hath  kept  it  ever  fince  for 
his  own  peculiar;  the  old  Fox  forefaw  it  would  ec- 
clipfe  the  glory  of  all  the  reft :  he  thought  it  wifdome 
to  Keep  the  land  for  a  Boggards  for  his  unclean  fpirits 
imployed  in  this  Hemifphere,  and  the  people,  to  doe 
his  Son  and  Heire,  I  mean  the  Pope,  that  fervice  for 
which  Lewis  the  eleventh  kept  his  Barb  or  Oliver, 
which  makes  them  fo  blood-thirfty.  They  are  the  ve 
ry  Offall  of  men,  Dregges  of  Mankind,  Reproach  of 
Chriftendom,  the  Bots  that  crawle  on  the  Beafts  taile 
I  wonder  Rome  it  felf  is  not  afhamed  of  them. 

I  begge  upon  my,  hands  and  knees,  that  the  Ex 
pedition  againft  them  may  be  undertaken  while  the 
hearts  and  hands  of  our  Souldiery  are  hot,  to  whom 
I  will  be  bold  to  fay  briefly:  Happy  is  he  that  fhall 
reward  them  as  they  have  ferved  us,  and  Curfed  be  he 
that  fhall  do  that  work  of  the  Lord  negligently,  Cur- 
fed  be  he  that  holdeth  back  his  Sword  from  blood: 
yea,  Curfed  be  he  that  maketh  not  his  Sword  ftarke 
drunk  with  Irifh  blood,  that  doth  not  recompence 
them  double  for  their  hellifh  treachery  to  the  Englifh, 
that  maketh  them  not  heaps  upon  heaps,  and  their 
Country  a  dwelling  place  for  Dragons,  an  Aftonifh- 
ment  to  Nations :  Let  not  that  eye  look  for  pity,  nor 
that  hand  to  be  fpared,  that  pities  or  fpares  them,  and 
let  him  be  accurfed,  that  curfeth  not  them  bitterly. 


AGGAVVAM  in  Anerica.  77 


totofc^^ 


A  word  of  Love  to  the  Common  people 

of  EngUnd. 

IT  is,  your,  now  or  never,  to  mufter  up  puiffant  Ar 
mies  of  prayer  to  the  mercy  Seate;  your  Body  Re- 
prefentative,  is  now  to  take  in  hand,  as  intricate  a 
peice  of  worke,  as  ever  fell  into  the  hands  of  any  Par 
liament  in  the  world,  to  tye  an  indiffoluble  knot  upon 
that  webb  which  hath  been  woven  with  fo  much  coft 
and  bloud,  wherein  if  they  happen  to  make  one  falfe 
maske,  it  may  re-imbarque  themfelves  and  you  all 
into  a  deadly  relapfe  of  fcorne  and  calamity.  It  is  the 
worke  of  God  not  of  man,  pray  fpeedily  therefore, 
and  fpeedingly,  give  him  no  reft  till  your  reft  be 
throughly  re-eftablifhed,  Your  God  is  a  God  whofe 
name  is  All-fufficient,  abundant  in  Goodneffe  and 
Truth,  on  whom  the  Sonnes  of  lacob  never  did,  nor 
fhall  call  in  vaine,  you  have  a  Throne  of  Grace  wher- 
to  you  may  goe  boldly;  a  Chrift  to  give  you  a  leading 
by  the  hand  and  liberty  of  fpeech,  an  Interceffor  in 
Heaven  to  offer  up  your  prayers  wrapp'd  in  his 
own;  a  large  Charter  aske  and  have,  a  Spirit  to  helpe 
all  your  infirmities  in  that  duty,  a  fure  Covenant 
that  you  fhalbe  heard,  and  fuch  late  incouragement  as 
may  ftrengthen  your  feeble  hands  for  ever.  If  you 
who  may  command  God  concerning  the  work  of  his  hand, 
fhall  faile  to  demand  the  workemanfhip  of  his  hand 
in  this  worke,  your  children  will  proclaime  you  un- 

L  2  thrifts 


78  The  Simple  Cotter  of 


thrifts  with  bitter  teares  to  the  worlds  end. 
If  you  fee  no  caufe  to  pray,  read 
Jer.  18.    1.  — 10. 

Be  alfo  intreated  to  have  a  continuall  and  con- 
fcientious  care  not  to  impeach  the  Parliament 
in  the  hearts  one  of  another  by  whifpering  com 
plaints,  eafilier  told  then  tryed  or  trued.  Great 
bodyes  move  but  flowery,  efpecially  when  they 
move  on  three  leggs  and  are  over-loden  with  weighty 
occafions.  They  have  now  fate  full  fix  years  without 
intermiffion  to  continue  your  being,  many  of  their 
heads  are  growne  gray  with  your  cares,  they  are  the 
High  Councell  of  the  J^ingdome,  the  great  Gilead  of 
your  Balme,  the  Phifitians  of  all  your  fickneffe;  if  a- 
ny  of  them  doe  amiffe,  blame  your  f elves,  you  chofe 
them,  be  wifer  hereafter;  you  cannot  doe  the  State, 
your  felves,  your  pofterity  a  more  ungratefull  office 
then  to  impaire  them  with  difparagements  and  difco- 
ragements  who  are  fo  ftudious  to  repaire  your  al- 
moft  irreparable  ruines. 

Be  likewife  be  feeched,  not  to  flight  good  minift- 
ers,  whom  you  were  wont  to  reverence  much,  they 
are  Gods  Embaffadours,  your  Ephods,  your  Starres, 
your  Horfe-men  &  Chariots,  your  Watchmen,  &  un 
der  Chrift  your  Salvation,  I  know  no  deadlier  Sym- 
ptome  of  a  dying  people  than  to  undervalue  godly 
Minifters,  whofoever  defpifeth  them  fhall  certainly 
be  defpifed  of  God  and  men  at  one  time  or  other. 


AGGAVVAM  in  Amfiric*. 


A  mod  humble  heel-piece. 
TO  THE 

Moft  Honourable  Head-piece 

THE 
Parliament  of  England. 

I  Might  excufe  my  felfe  in  Part,  with  a  fpeech 
Lycurgus  ufed  in  the  like  exigent  of  State,  fene- 
ctute  fio  audacior,  publica  neceffitate  loquacior,  but  it 
much  better  becomes  mee  with  all  lowlineffe  and 
uprightneffe,  wherein  I  have  failed  to  pray  pardon 
on  both  my  knees,  which  I  moft  humbly  and  wil 
lingly  doe;  only,  before  I  rife,  I  crave  leave  to  pre- 
fent  this  fix-fold  Petition. 

That  you  would  be  pleafed 

To  preferve  the  Sacred  reputation  of  Parliaments, 
or,  wee  fhall  have  no  Common- wealth. 

To  uphold  the  due  eftimation  of  good   Minifters, 
elfe,  wee  fhall  have  no  Church. 

To  heale  the  fad  dif location  of  our  Head,  through 
ly,  prefectly,    or,  wee  fhall  have  no  King. 

To 


so  The  Simple  Colter  of 

To  oppugne  the  bold  violation  of  divine  Truths, 
elfe  wee  fhall  have  no  God. 

To  proceed  with  what  zeale  you  began,  or  what 
you  began  can  come  to  little  end. 

To  expedite  worke  with  what  fpeede  you  fafely 
may,  elfe  ignorant  people  will  feare  they  fhall 
have  no  end  at  all. 


Hee  that  is  great  in  Counfell,  and  Wonderfull  in 
Working,  guide  and  helpe  you  in  All  things,  that 
doing  All  things  in  Him,  by  Him,  and  for  Him, 
you  may  doe  All  things  like  Him. 

So  be  it. 


AGGAVYAM  in  America 


A  refpeftivc  word  to  the  Minifters 
of  ENGLAND. 


FARRE  bee  it  from  mee,  while  I  dehort  others 
to  flight  you  my  felfe,  or  to  defpife  any  man 
but  my  felfe,  whom  I  can  never  defpife  enough: 
I  rather  humbly  intreate  you  to  forgive  my  bold- 
neffe,  who  have  moft  juft  caufe  to  judge  my  felfe 
leffe  and  leffe  faithfull  than  the  leaft  of  you  all,  yet 
I  dare  not  but  bee  fo  faithfull  to  you  and  my  felfe, 
as  to  fay 

They  are  the  Minifters  of  England,  that  have  loft 
the  Land;  for  Chrifts  fake,  put  on  His  bowels,  His 
wifdome,  His  zeale,  and  recover  it. 


I  pray 


82  The  Simple  Coller  of 


I  pray  let  me  drive  in  half  a  dozen 
plaine  honest  Country  Hobnails,  such  as 
the  Martyrs  were  wont  to  weare;  to 
make  my  work  hold  the  surer;  and  I 
have  done. 

1.  r  I  ^  Here,  lives  cannot  be  good, 
_A_    There,  Faith  cannot  be  Jure, 
Where  Truth  cannot  be  quiet, 
Nor  Ordinances  pure. 

%.  No  King  can  King  it  right, 
Nor  riqhtly  [way  his  Rod; 

u          «/    /  «/ 

Who  truely  loves  not  Chrift, 
And  truely  fears  not  God. 

3.  He  cannot  rule  a  Land, 

As  Lands  fhould  ruled  been, 
That  lets  him/elf  be  rul  'd 
By  a  ruling  Romane  Queen. 

4.  A7o  earthly  man  can  be 

True  Subject  to  this  State; 
Who  makes  the  Pope  his  Chrift, 
An  Heretique  his  Mate. 

5.  There  Peace  will  goe  to  War, 

And  Silence  make  a  noife: 
Where  upper  things  will  not 
With  nether  equipoyfe. 

6.  The 


AGGAVVAM  ia  Amtrka.  83 


6.  The  upper  world  fhall  Rule, 

While  Stars  will  run  their  race. 
The  nether  world  obey, 

While  people  keep  their  place. 

The  Clench. 

IF  any  of  thefe  come  out 
So  long  9s  the  world  doe  laft: 
Then  credit  not  a  word 
Of  what  is  /aid  and  paft. 


M  ERRATA 


84  The  Simple  CoUer  of 


ERRATA 

AT    NON 

CORRIGENDA. 

NOW  I  come  to  rubbe  over  my  work,  I  finde  five 
or  fix  things  like  faults,  which  would  be  mended 
or  commended,  I  know  not  well  which,  nor  greatly 
care. 

1.  For  Levity  ,  read,  Lepidity,  -  -  and  that  a  ve 
ry  little,  and  that  very  neceffary,  if  not  unavoydable. 

Mi  fee  ftultitiam  Con/iliis  brevem 
—Dulce  eft  defipere  in  loco.     Horat. 

To  fpeak  to  light  heads  with  heavy  words,  were  to 
break  their  necks:  to  cloathe  Summer  matter,  with 
Winter  Rugge,  would  make  the  Reader  fweat.  It  is 
mufick  to  me,  to  hear  every  Dity  fpeak  its  fpirit  in  its 
apt  tune  :  every  breaft,  to  f  ing  its  proper  part,  and  eve 
ry  creature,  to  expreffe  it  felf  in  its  naturall  note  :  f  hould 
I  heare  a  Moufe  roare  like  a  Beare,  a  Cat  lowgh  like 
an  Oxe,  or  a  Horfe  whiftle  like  a  Red-breaft,  it  would 
fcare  —  mee. 

The  world's  a  ivellftrung  fidle,  mans  tongue  the  quill, 
That  fills  the  world  with  fumble  for  want  of  skill, 

When  things  and  words  in  tune  and  tone  doe  meet, 
The  univerfall  fong  goes  fmooth  and  fweet. 

2.  For 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  85 


2.  For  audacity,  read,  veracity,  or  Verum   Gallice 
non  libenter  audis.  Mart.  Flattery  never  doth  well,  but 
when  it  is  whifpered  through  a  paire  of  lifping  teeth; 
Truth  beft,  when  it  is  fpoken  out,  through  a  paire  of 
open  lips,  Ye  make  fuch  a  noyfe  there,  with  Drums 
and  Trumpets,  that  if  I  fhould  not  fpeak  loud,  ye 
could  not  hear  me.     Ye  talke  one  to  another,  with 
whole  Culvering  and  Canon;  give  us  leave  to  talk 
Squibs    and  Piftoletto's  charged    with    nothing  but 
powder  of  Love  and  f hott  of  Reafon :    if  you  will  cut 
fuch  deep  gafhes  in  one  anothers  flefh,  we  must  fow 
them  up  with  deep  ftitches,  elfe  ye  may  bleed  to  death : 
ye  were  better  let  us,  your  tender  Countrymen  doe  it, 
than  forraine  Surgeons,  who  will  handle  you  more 
cruelly,  and  take  no  other  pay,  but  your  Lives  and 
Lands. 

-  A/pice  vultus, 

Ecce  meos,  utinamque  oculos  in  pectorepoffes 
Infer  ere:  &  patrias  intus  deprendere  Our  as.    Ovid. 

(Phoeb. 

He  that  to  tall  men  fpeakes,  muft  lift  up 's  head, 
And  when  h  'hath  done,  muft  fet  it  where  he  did: 

He  that  to  proud  men  talkes,  muft  put  on  pride; 
And  when  h  'hath  done,  'tis  good  to  lay  t  afide. 

3.  For,  Yes,  but  you  fpeak  at  three  thoufand  miles  di- 
ftance,  which  every  Coward  dare  doe,  read,  if  my  heart 
deceives  me  not,  I  would  fpeak  thus,  in  the  Prefence 
Chamber  or  Houfe  of  Commons;    hoping  Homer  will 
fpeak  a  good  word  for  me. 


yap  avrjp  ev  TTCLGIV 


M    2  Omnibus 


86  The  Simple  Colter  of 


Omnibus  in  rebus  potior  vir  fortis  &  audax 
Sit  licet  hofpes,  &  e  longinquis  venerit  oris. 

When  Kings  are  loft,  and  Subjects  caft  away, 

A  faithfull  heart  fhould  f peak  what  tongue  can  fay: 

It  skils  not  where  this  faithfull  heart  doth  dwell, 
His  faithfull  dealing  fhould  be  taken  well. 

4.  For,  affected  termes,  read,  /  hope  not  -  -  If 

I  affect  termes,  it  is  my  feebleneffe;  friends  that  know 
me,  think  I  doe  not:  I  confeffe,  I  fee  I  have  here  and 
there  taken  a  few  finifh  ftitches,  which  may  haply 
pleafe  a  few  Velvet  eares ;  but  I  cannot  now  well  pull 
them  out,  unleffe  I  fhould  feame-rend  all.  It  feemes 
it  is  in  fafhion  with  you  to  fugar  your  papers  with 
Carnation  phrafes,  and  fpangle  your  fpeeches  with 
new  quodled  words.  Ermins  in  Minifer  is  every  mans 
Coat.  Yet  we  heare  fome  are  raking  in  old  mufty 
Charnel  books,  for  old  mouldy  monefyllables ;  I  wifh 
they  were  all  banif  ht  to  Monmouthfhire,  to  return  when 
they  had  more  wit. 

Multa  renafcentur  quoe  jam  cecidere,  cadentque 
Quce  nuncfunt  in  honor  e  vocabula,fi  volet  ufus.  Hor. 

I  honour  them  with  my  heart,  that  can  'expreffe 
more  than  ordinary  matter  in  ordinary  words:  it  is 
a  pleafing  eloquence;  them  more  that  ftudy  wifely 
and  foberly  to  inhance  their  native  language;  them 
moft  of  all,  that  efteem  the  late  fignificant  fpeech,  the 
third  great  bleffing  of  the  Land;  it  being  fo  enriched, 
that  a  man  may  fpeak  many  Tongues  in  his  Mothers 

mouth 


AGGAVVAM  in  dmtrica.  87 


mouth  and  an  uplandifh  Ruftick,  more  in  one  word 
than  himfelfe  and  all  the  Parifh  underftands.  Affe 
cted  termes  are  unaffecting  things  to  folid  hearers ;  yet 
I  hold  him  prudent,  that  in  thefe  faftidious  times,  will 
helpe  difedged  appetites  with  convenient  condiments, 
and  bangled  ears,  with  pretty  quicke  pluckes.  I  fpeak 
the  rather  becaufe,  not  long  fince,  I  met  with  a  book, 
the  beft  to  me  I  ever  faw,  but  the  Bible,  yet  under 
favour,  it  was  fomewhat  underclad,  efpecially  by 
him  wrho  can  both  excogitate  and  expreffe  what  hee 
undertakes,  as  well  as  any  man  I  know. 

The  world  is  growne  fo  fine  in  words  and  wit, 
That  pens  muft  now  Sir  Edward  Nich  'las  it. 

He  that  much  matter  /peaks,  /peaks  ne  V  a  whit. 
If  9s  tongue  doth  not  career 't  above  his  wit. 

5.  For,  You  ver/e  it  /imply,  what  need  have  we  of  your 
thin  Poetry;  read,  I  confeffe  I  wonder  at  it  my  felf ,  that 
I  f  hould  turne  Poet :  I  can  impute  it  to  nothing,  but  to 
the  flatuoufneffe  of  our  diet :  they  are  but  sudden  rap 
tures  foone  up,  foone  downe. 

--Deductum  dicere  Carmen,  is  highly  commended  by 

Macrobius. 
Virgil  himfelf  faid, 

Agre/tem  tenui  meditabor  arundine  mu/am. 

Poetry  9s  a  gift  wherein  but  few  excell; 

He  doth  very  ill,  that  doth  not  pa//ing  well. 
But  he  doth  pa//ing  well,  that  doth  his  beft, 

And  he  doth  beft,  that  paffeth  all  the  reft. 

M  3  6.   For 


88  Tie  Simple  Colter  of 


6.     For,  tedioufneffe,  read,  I  am  forry  for  it We 

have  a  ftrong  weakneffe  in  N.  E.  that  when  wee  are 
fpeaking,  we  know  not  how  to  conclude:  wee  make 
many  ends,  before  we  make  an  end :  the  fault  is  in  the 
Climate;  we  cannot  helpe  it  though  we  can,  which  is 
the  Arch  infirmity  in  all  morality :  We  are  fo  near  the 
Weft  pole,  that  our  Longitudes  are  as  long,  as  any 
wife  man  would  wifh,  and  fomewhat  longer.  I  fcarce 
know  any  Adage  more  gratefull:  than  Grata  brevitas. 

Verba  confer  maxime  ad  compendium.     Plaut. 

Coblers  will  mend,  but  fome  will  never  mend, 
But  end,  and  end,  and  end,  and  never  end. 

A  well-girt  houre  gives  every  man  content, 

Sixe  ribs  of  beefe,  are  worth  fixe  weeks  of  Lent. 

For,  all  my  other  faults,  which  may  bee  more  and 
greater  than  1  fee,  read,  I  am  heartily  forry  for  them, 
before  I  know  them,  leaft  I  fhould  forget  it  after;  and 
humbly  crave  pardon  at  adventure,  having  nothing 
that  I  can  think  of,  to  plead  but  this, 

Quifquis  inops  peccat,  minor  eft  reus.     Petron. 

Poore  Coblers  well  may  fault  it  now  and  then, 
They'r  ever  mending  faults  for  other  men. 

And  if  I  worke  for  nought,  why  is  it  faid, 

This  bungling  Cobler  would  be  foundly  paid? 

So 


AGGAVVAM  in  America.  89 


So  farewell  England  old 

If  evill  times  enfue, 
Let  good  men  come  to  us, 

Wee '/  welcome  them  to  New. 

And  farewell  Honor  'd  Friends, 

If  happy  dayes  enfue, 
You9 1  have  fome  Guefts  from  hence, 

Pray  welcome  us  to  you. 

And  farewell  fimple  world, 

If  thou  'It  thy  Cranium  mend, 

There  is  my  La  ft  and  All, 
And  a  Shoem-Akers 

END. 


INATHANIEL  WARD  AND  THE  SIMPLE  COBLER. 

IN  March,  1633,  a  little  company  of  settlers,  led  by  John 
Wirithrop,  Jr.,  eldest  son  of  the  Governor,  invaded  the 
wilderness  and  began  the  formal  settlement  of  Ipswich. 
The  young  leader  was  a  scholarly  and  noble-minded  man, 
and  a  singularly  refined  group  was  attracted  at  once  to 
the  new  town.  For  the  work  of  the  ministry,  came  Nath 
aniel  Ward,  and  Nathaniel  Rogers,  both  excommunicated 
by  Laud  and  deposed  from  the  ministry  in  England,  and 
the  young  John  Norton,  brilliant  in  scholarship  and  des 
tined  for  high  place  in  the  Colony.  Thomas  Dudley,  retir 
ing  from  the  Governorship,  sought  a  new  home  here,  and 
with  him  came  his  daughter,  Ann,  with  her  husband,  Simon 
Bradstreet,  the  future  statesman,  and  Patience  and  her 
husband,  Daniel  Denison,  renowned  for  his  military  skill 
and  political  prominence.  Dr.  Giles  Firmin,  son-in-law  of 
Ward,  and  Richard  Saltonstall,  son  of  Sir  Richard,  a  man 
of  fine  intellectual  parts,  called  at  once  to  places  of  politi 
cal  preferment,  were  numbered  among  the  earliest  settlers. 
fWinthrop  had  been  a  student  at  Trinity  College,  Dublin, 
ard,  Rogers,  Norton,  Saltonstall,  and  Firmin  were  all 
Cambridge  graduates.  Bradstreet  and  Dudley  were  men 
of  fine  intelligence,  and  Ann  Bradstreet  was  already  reveal 
ing  marked  poetical  gifts. 

HjWilliam  Hubbard  took  his  bachelor's  degree  in  1642  with 
the  first  class  that  graduated  from  Harvard,  and  became 
the  minister  of  the  Ipswich  church.  Ezekiel  Cheever,  the 
famous  schoolmaster,  came  in  1650,  and  taught  for  ten 
years  as  Master  of  the  Grammar  School.  Samuel  Symonds 
grew  into  fame  and  influence  in  political  life,  Samuel  Apple- 
ton  won  renown  as  Commander-in-chief  during  King 
Philip 's  War,  and  in  the  fiftieth  year  from  the  settlement 
of  the  town,  John  Rogers  was  called  to  the  presidency  of 
Harvard.  A  few  years  later,  Ipswich  gained  a  notable 
place  in  the  annals  of  resistance  to  tyranny  by  her  refusal 
to  choose  the  tax  commissioner  ordered  by  Sir  Edmund 
Andros. 

From  this  brilliant  group,  came  notable  contributions  to 
the  literature  of  New  England.    Ann  Bradstreet,  inspired 

(91) 


92  NATHANIEL    WARD    AND   THE    SIMPLE    COBLER. 

by  such  an  atmosphere,  wrote  the  poems  which  were 
hailed  with  rapture  as  the  work  of  the  Tenth  Muse.  Will 
iam  Hubbard  compiled  his  History  of  the  Indian  Wars. 
Nathaniel  Ward  revealed  his  great  gifts  in  the  preparation 
of  The  Body  of  Liberties  and  The  Simple  Cobler.  He  was 
the  most  striking  figure  perhaps  in  this  illustrious  company. 
His  career  in  England  had  been  noteworthy.  He  had 
taken  his  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  at  Emmanuel  College 
in  1600  and  his  Master's  degree  in  1603,  but  chose  the  legal 
profession,  though  his  father  and  two  brothers  were  clergy 
men.  He  "read  almost  all  the  Common  Law  of  England 
and  some  Statutes/ '  he  remarks  in  The  Simple  Cobler  (p.  66) , 
then  travelled  widely  in  Europe  and  spent  some  time  in 
Heidelberg.  There  he  came  in  contact  with  the  famous 
theologian,  David  Pareus,  and  was  influenced  by  him  to 
abandon  the  law  and  enter  the  ministry. 

While  rector  at  Stondon-Massey,  near  London,  he  became 
conspicuous  for  his  Puritan  practices,  and  was  summoned 
before  Archbishop  Laud.  Refusing  to  comply  with  the 
ecclesiastical  requirements,  he  was  roughly  excommuni 
cated.  Deprived  of  his  home  by  the  death  of  his  wife  and 
deposed  from  the  ministry,  he  sought  a  new  home  and  work 
in  the  New  World,  although  he  was  at  least  fifty-four  years 
old. 

He  came  to  Ipswich  in  1634,  the  year  01  his  arrival,  and 
began  his  work  at  once.  Mr.  John  Ward  Dean,  in  his 
excellent  Memoir  of  Mr.  W^ard,  states  that  he  preached  not 
more  than  two  or  three  years,  and  that  he  was  moved  to 
resign  his  pastorate,  partly  on  account  of  impaired  health, 
but  principally  from  a  preference  for  literary  employments. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Nathaniel  Rogers  in  Febru 
ary,  1637/8,  and  turned  at  once  to  other  and  varied  labors. 

His  house  was  built  near  the  present  site  of  the  Col.  Wade 
mansion.  His  sons,  James  and  John,  were  often  with  him, 
and  his  daughter,  Susan,  wife  of  Dr.  Giles  Firmin,  lived  on 
the  adjoining  lot,  where  the  parsonage  of  the  South  Church 
now  stands.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  road,  within  a 
few  rods  of  Mr.  Ward  'a  door,  Richard  Saltonstall  and  Mr. 
Rogers  reared  their  dwellings.  John  Norton,  Gov.  Dudley 
and  Simon  Bradstreet  dwelt  within  easy  walking  distance. 
Congenial  society  was  never  lacking. 

In  April,  1638,  he  was  appointed  a  member  of  a  committee 
to  prepare  a  code  of  laws  for  the  Colony.  His  legal  attain- 


NATHANIEL  WARD  AND  THE  SIMPLE  COBLER.      93 

ments  fitted  him  pre-eminently  for  this  work,  and  the  code 
which  he  prepared  is  generally  recognized  to  be  identical 
with  The  Body  of  Liberties,  which  was  eventually  ratified 
and  adopted  as  the  written  law  of  the  Colony.  It  has 
been  commended  by  men  of  high  judicial  attainments  as 
a  work  of  fine  legal  quality.  The  General  Court  granted 
Mr.  Ward  six  hundred  acres  of  land  at  Pentucket,  now 
Haverhill,  in  1641,  as  compensation  for  this  service.1 
[^In  1643,  fears  were  prevalent  of  entanglement  with 
French  colonial  affairs  at  St.  John  on  account  of  Gov.  Win- 
throp  's  favorable  action  upon  the  request  of  La  Tour  to 
hire  ships  in  the  Colony.  A  Remonstrance2  was  drawn  up 
signed  by  Richard  Salt  ons  tall,  Simon  Brads  tree  t,  Samuel 
Symonds,  Nathaniel  Ward,  Ezekiel  Rogers,  Nathaniel 
Rogers,  and  John  Norton.  The  first  three  were  magis 
trates.  Ezekiel  Rogers  was  minister  at  Rowley.  This 
document  may  have  contributed  to  the  defeat  of  Gover 
nor  Winthrop  at  the  following  election.  It  is  natural  to 
conclude  that  the  conferences  incidental  to  the  formulating 
of  this  Remonstrance  may  have  been  held  in  Mr.  Ward's 
house,  as  the  oldest  of  the  group  and  most  delicate  in 
health. 

In  the  year  16453  he  was  already  at  work  on  The  Simple 
Cobler,  which  was  completed  in  the  following  year  and 
sent  to  London  for  publication.  He  bade  farewell  to  Ips 
wich  in  the  winter  of  1646/7,  and  sailed  for  England,  where 
he  spent  his  declining  years,  and  died  in  1653. 

During  these  twelve  years  he  had  tasted  the  bitterness  of 
poverty.  The  pathos  of  that  letter  written  on  December  24 
of  1634  or  1635  to  Governor  Winthrop  will  never  be  for 
gotten.  "I  heare  Mr.  Coddington  hath  the  sale  and  dis- 
posall  of  much  provision  come  in  this  shipp.  I  intreate 
you  to  do  so  much  as  to  speake  to  him  in  my  name  to  reserue 
some  meale  &  malt  &  what  victuals  els  he  thinks  meete  till 
our  Riuer  be  open  our  Church  will  pay  him  duely  for  it 
I  am  very  destitute  I  have  not  above  6  bushells  corne  left 
&  other  things  answerable. ' ; 

With  grim  humor,  he  remarks  of   Time  in  The  Simple 

1  See  an  estimate  of  this  code  in  "  Ipswich  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay 
Colony,"  page  47. 

2  Printed  in  full  in  the  Hutchinson  Papers,  with  Gov.  Winthrop's 
answer. 

3  Simple  Cobler,  p.  18:   "Materia  millessima  sexcentesima  quadra- 
gesima  quinta." 


94 


NATHANIEL  WARD  AND  THE  SIMPLE  COBLER. 


Cobier  (p.  53),  "it  is  an  empty  thing,  as  empty  as  a  New- 
English  purse,  and  emptier  it  cannot  bee;"  and  there  is 
a  touch  of  bitterness  in  his  observations  on  the  financial 
support  of  ministers,  "nor  can  an  Elder  be  given  to  hos 
pitality,  when  he  knowes  not  what  will  be  given  him  to 
defray  it:  it  is  pity  men  of  gifts  should  live  upon  mens 
gifts"  (p.  41).  "The  seeds  of  the  Bay-sickness,"  caused 
much  physical  pain  and  weakness,  so  that  he  realized  his 
unfitness  for  a  removal  to  the  new  plantation  at  Pentucket, 
though  the  project  was  often  deliberated  by  the  family 
group,  and.. .his  son  John  removed  thither,  and  became 
the  minister  of  the  new  settlement. 

No  house  ever  built  in  our  town  has  such  associations 
as  that  in  which  he  dwelt  and  wrought  out  The  Body  of 
Liberties  and  struck  off  The  Simple  Cobier,  while  in  the 
humor,  brooding  often  upon  his  poverty  and  weakness. 
It  was  standing  some  years  after  his  departure.  Cotton 
Mather,  in  his  "Parentator,  Memoirs  of  Remarkables  in 
the  Life  and  Death  of  his  father,  Increase  Mather,"  pub 
lished  in  1724,  remarked,  quoting  perhaps  his  father's  words : 

"An  Hundred  witty  Speeches  of  our  celebrated  Ward 
who  called  himself  The  Simple  Cobier  of  Agawam  [and  over 
whose  Mantle-piece  in  his  House,  by  the  way,  I  have  seen 
those  three  Words  Engraved,  SOBRIE  JUSTE  PIE  and 
a  Fourth  added  which  was  L^ETE]  have  been  reported. 
But  he  had  one  Godly  Speech.  /  have  only  Two  Comforts 
to  Live  upon:  The  one  is,  in  The  Perfections  of  CHRIST: 
The  other  is  in  The  Imperfections  of  all  CHRISTIANS." 

No  deed  of  conveyance  was  recorded.  It  was  sold  un 
doubtedly  to  Jonathan  Wade  and  Firmins  house  became 
the  property  of  Deacon  William  Goodhue.1 

The  Simple  Cobier  was  published  in  January,  1646/7,  and 
attained  great  popularity.  Four  editions  were  printed 
within  a  few  months.  A  reprint  of  the  fourth  London 
edition  was  published  in  Boston  in  1713,  and  David  Pulsi- 
fer,  of  the  Ipswich  family  of  that  name,  made  a  reprint  of  this 
edition  in  1843.  This  reprint  is  from  a  copy  of  the  fourth 

1  See  a  full  account  of  land  transfers  in  "  Ipswich  in  the  Massachu 
setts  Bay  Colony,"  p.  470.  Mr.  John  W.  Nourse  has  discovered,  in  the 
Commoners'  Record,  the  entry 

"  Mr.  Jonathan  &          )  claim    equal 

Mr.  Thomas  Wade      )          rights  in  ye  several 

comonages,  one  by  Mr.  Nath1  Wards  Entry  16-41  deedd  to  yr  Grand 
father  in  1646." 


NATHANIEL   WARD    AND    THE    SIMPLE    COBLER.  95 

London  edition,  presented  to  the  Ipswich  Historical  Society 
by  the  late  Daniel  Fuller  Apple  ton,  Esq.  The  title  page 
and  the  two  following  pages  have  been  reproduced.  The 
page  divisions  and  the  general  appearance  of  the  book  have 
been  preserved  as  far  as  possible  throughout  the  work. 
The  original  punctuation,  capital  letters,  and  spelling  have 
been  adhered  to  faithfully. 

The  title  page  is  ingeniously  worded.  The  author's 
name  appears  thinly  disguised  under  the  pseudonym, 
Theodore  de  la  Guard,  Theodore  being  the  exact  Greek 
equivalent  of  the  Hebrew,  Nathaniel,  and  de  la  Guard  an 
easy  French  rendering  of  Ward.  The  mingling  of  classical 
quotations  with  acute  and  amusing  English  paraphrases 
is  an  admirable  prelude  to  the  method  of  the  whole  essay. 
The  fiction  of  the  'Cobler'  is  maintained  in  the  prefatory 
note,  To  the  Reader,  and  in  the  title  repeated  on  page  1, 
but  it  is  abandoned  instantly  with  the  discussion  of  his 
theme,  reappearing  only  in  his  setting  on  of  "  the  best  peece 
of  Soule-leather  I  have"  on  page  32,  in  the  snatch  of  song 
he  puts  in  the  mouth  of  the  '  Cobler '  on  pages  45  and  46, 
the  ' '  humble  heel-piece' '  on  pages  79  and  80,  and  the  num 
erous  finishing  touches  of  the  Errata,  with  which  the  book 
ends. 

A  few  vigorous  sentences  portray  the  confused  and  criti 
cal  condition  of  public  affairs.  "Sathan  is  now  in  his 
passions,  he  f eeles  his  passion  approaching :  hee  loves  to  fish 
in  royled  waters."  "The  finer  Religion  grows,  the  finer 
hee  spins  his  Cob  webs  "  (p.  2). 

The  healing  of  l '  these  comf ortlesse  exulcerations, "  is  a 
difficult  task,  but  he  endeavors  to  make  some  contribution 
to  this  end.  Resenting  the  charge  that  the  New  England 
colonists  are  ' '  a  Colluvies  of  wild  Opinionists,  swarmed  into 
a  remote  wildernes  to  find  elbow-roome  for  our  phanatick 
Doctrines  and  practises:"  he  proclaims  in  the  name  of  the 
Colony  "that  all  Familists,  Antinomians,  Anabaptists  and 
other  Enthusiasts  shall  have  free  Liberty  to  keepe  away 
from  us,  and  such  as  will  come  to  be  gone  as  fast  as  they 
can,  the  sooner  the  better, ' '  and  he  avers, ' '  that  God  doth 
no  where  in  his  word  tolerate  Christian  States,  to  give 
Tolerations  to  such  adversaries  of  his  Truth,  if  they  have 
power  in  their  hands  to  suppresse  them' '  (p.  3).  This  is  the 
keynote  of  his  teaching.  Intolerance  of  every  false  opin 
ion  or  practise  is  the  duty  of  the  Puritans  of  England, 


96  NATHANIEL   WARD    AND    THE    SIMPLE    COBLER. 

in  their  conflict  with  error.  He  has  heard  of  a  compact 
made  by  some  planters  in  the  West  Indies,  which  * '  firmly 
provides  free  stable-room  and  litter  for  all  kinde  of  con 
sciences,  be  they  never  so  dirty  or  jadish;  making  it  action 
able,  yea,  treasonable,  to  disturbe  any  man  in  his  Religion, 
or  to  discommend  it,  whatever  it  be/'  but  he  rejoices  that 
"God  abhorring  such  loathsome  beverages,  hath  in  his 
righteous  judgement  blasted  that  enterprize"  (p.  4).  Four 
things  he  detests:  "The  standing  of  the  Apocrypha  in  the 
Bible;  Forrainers  dwelling  in  my  Countrey,  to  crowd  out 
native  Subjects  into  the  corners  of  the  Earth;  Alchymized 
coines;  Tolerations  of  divers  Religions,  or  of  one  Religion 
in  segregant  shapes"  (p.  5).  "To  authorise  an  untruth/' 
he  affirms,  "  is  to  build  a  Sconce  against  the  walls  of  heaven, 
to  batter  God  out  of  his  chaire"  (p.  6).  He  brings  all 
his  arguments  to  establish  the  truth  of  his  position.  "  Au- 
gustines  tongue  had  not  owed  his  mouth  one  penny-rent 
though  he  had  never  spake  word  more  in  it,  but  this,  Nullum 
malum  pejus  libertate  errandi"  (p.  8).  (No  evil  is  worse 
than  liberty  to  teach  falsely.)  The  Scriptures  teach,  he 
affirms,  that  "nothing  makes  free  but  Truth,  and  Truth 
saith,  there  is  no  Truth  but  one"  (p.  9).  If  there  is  room 
in  England  for  the  Errorists  whom  he  catalogues  on  page  11, 
then  there  is  room  for  the  mythical  and  unclean  sprites  he 
mentions  over  against  them,  "In  a  word  room  for  Hell 
above  ground. ; ' 

Lest  any  one  may  misunderstand  his  position  he  reaf 
firms  it.  "  It  is  said,  That  Men  ought  to  have  Liberty  of 
their  Conscience  and  that  it  is  persecution  to  debarre  them 
of  it:  I  can  rather  stand  amazed  then  reply  to  this:  it  is 
an  astonishment  to  think  that  the  braines  of  men  should 
be  parboyl'd  in  such  impious  ignorance;  Let  all  the  wits 
under  the  Heavens  lay  their  heads  together  and  finde  an 
Assertion  worse  then  this  (one  excepted)  I  will  petition 
to  be  chosen  the  universall  Ideot  of  the  world "  (p.  12). 
Hence  Parliament  should  enact  ' '  some  peremptory  Statu 
tory  Act"  against  Error,  and  every  prophet  should  preach 
against  it.  All  infants  should  be  baptized,  "though  their 
Parents  judgements  be  against  it"  (p.  17).  He  gives 
warning  of  a  "new  sprung  Sect  of  phrantasticks,  which 
would  perswade  themselves  and  others,  that  they  have  dis 
covered  the  Nor-west  passage  to  Heaven.  These  wits  of  the 
game,  cry  up  and  downe  in  corners  such  bold  ignotions  of  a 


NATHANIEL    WARD    AND    THE    SIMPLE    COBLER.  97 

new  Gospell,  new  Christ,  new  Faith,  and  new  gay-nothings, 
as  trouble  unsetled  heads,  querulous  hearts,  and  not  a  little 
grieve  the  Spirit  of  God. "  "  Blasphemers, ' '  he  calls  them, 
"a,  late  fry  of  croaking  frogs."  "I  cannot  imagine  why 
the  Holy  Ghost  should  give  Timothie  the  solemnest  charge, 
was  ever  given  mortal  man,  to  observe  the  Rules  he  had 
given,  till  the  comming  of  Christ,  if  new  things  must  be 
expected "  (p.  19). 

There  is  so  much  power  in  false  doctrine,  "that  the 
least  Error,  if  grown  sturdy  and  pressed,  shall  set  open  the 
Spittle-doore  of  all  the  squint-ey  'd,  wry-necked,  and  brasen- 
faced  Errors  that  are  or  ever  were  of  that  litter"  (p.  21). 
It  is  impossible,  he  maintains,  to  allow  all  religions  their 
liberty,  and  secure  regular  justice  and  moral  honesty  in 
one  and  the  same  jurisdiction,  and  he  expresses  this  in 
another  extraordinary  declaration :  "  If  the  whole  conclave 
of  Hell  can  so  compromise,  exad verse,  and  diametricall  con 
tradictions,  as  to  compolitize  such  multimonstrous  maufrey 
of  heteroclytes  and  quicquidlibets  quietly;  I  trust  I  may 
say  with  all  humble  reverence,  they  can  do  more  than  the 
Senate  of  Heaven"  (p.  22). 

This  is  the  climax  of  his  argument  for  Intolerance,  and 
he  makes  at  this  point  a  whimsical  digression  from  the 
development  of  his  theme  to  make  an  attack  upon  the 
undue  regard  of  women  for  the  latest  fashion  and  men's 
wearing  of  long  hair.  Quoting  a  line  from  Horace,  * '  What 
is  to  hinder  one  from  telling  the  Truth  laughingly?"  he 
proceeds  with  bitter  sarcasm  to  deride  the  "nugiperous" 
[light-minded]  Gentledame,  who  inquires  ' '  what  dresse  the 
Queen  is  in  this  week :  what  the  nudius  tertian  [day  before 
yesterday]  fashion  of  the  Court;  ...  I  look  at  her  as  the 
very  gizzard  of  a  trifle,  the  product  of  a  quarter  of  a  cypher, 
the  epitome  of  Nothing,  fitter  to  be  kickt,  if  she  were  of 
a  kickable  substance,  than  either  honour  ;d  or  humour  Jcl. " 

The  ordinary  resource  of  language  fails  him  utterly  and 
he  betakes  himself  to  a  vocabulary  of  extraordinary  vio 
lence.  Their  fashionable  garb  ' '  transclouts  them  into 
gant-bar-geese,  ill-shapen-shotten-shell-fish,  Egyptian  Hye- 
roglyphicks"  (p.  26).  He  is  sick  of  seeing  the  "gut- 
f  oundred  goosdom,  wherewith  they  are  now  surcingled  and 
debauched. ' '  He  derides  tailors  for  spending  their  lives 
"in  making  fidle-cases  for  futulous  womens  phansies: 
which  are  the  very  pettitoes  of  Infirmity,  the  giblets  of 


98  NATHANIEL   WARD    AND    THE     SIMPLE    COBLER. 

perquisquilian  toyes"  (p.  27).  With  a  parting  gibe  at 
these  1 1 light-heel'd  beagles  that  lead  the  chase  so  fast, 
that  they  run  all  civility  out  of  breath,  against  these  Ape- 
headed  pullets,  which  invent  Antique  foole-fangles,  meerly 
for  fashion  and  novelty  sake"  (p.  29),  he  devotes  a  few 
sentences  to  the  enormous  sin  of  men  in  wearing  long  hair, 
and  then  returns  to  the  further  discussion  of  the  great 
questions  of  the  time. 

Four  possible  schemes  of  securing  peace  and  harmony 
between  King  and  people  are  discussed  under  the  heads 
of  Reformation,  Composition,  Cessation,  Prosecution,  and 
for  the  most  part  with  dignity  and  moderation.  He  de 
clares  that  he  agrees  neither  with  Presbyterian  nor  Inde 
pendent  nor  Separatist,  but  advocates  some  middle  course, 
that  shall  secure  pure  and  undefiled  religion.  He  calls  for 
personal  purity  and  sincerity  in  Christian  living. 

His  discussion  of  the  scheme  of  Composition,  by  which 
both  Majestas  Imperil  and  Salus  Populi  may  be  secured, 
leads  him  to  some  strong  speech.  ' '  No  Prince  exceeds  in 
Soveraignty,  but  his  Subjects  will  exceed  as  farre  in  some 
vitious  Liberty,  to  abate  their  greife;  or  some  pernicious 
mutiny,  to  abate  their  Prince"  (p.  48).  His  personal  ad 
dress  to  the  King,  with  which  this  section  closes,  is  respect 
ful  and  even  humble  in  its  tone,  but  pointed  and  plain. 
Though  he  means  ' l  to  storme  you  with  volyes  of  Love  and 
Loyalty  "  (p.  54),  he  asks  leave ' '  to  inquire  of  your  Majesty, 
what  you  make  in  fields  of  blood,  when  you  should  be 
amidst  your  Parliament  of  peace :  What  you  doe  sculking 
in  the  suburbs  of  Hell,  when  your  Royall  Pallaces  stand 
desolate,  through  your  absence?"  (p.  55).  He  feels  the 
critical  condition  of  affairs,  and  implores  the  King  to  be 
ware  of  pressing  his  subjects  too  hard.  There  is  an  uncon 
scious  prophecy  of  the  end,  we  feel,  in  his  warning  words, 
"your  good  Subjects  are  now  rising  into  a  resolution  to 
pray  you  on  to  your  Throne,  or  into  your  Tombe,  into 
Grace  with  your  Parliament  and  people,  or  into  Glory  with 
the  Saints  in  Heaven ' '  (p.  63).  Events  had  moved  rapidly 
since  those  words  were  penned,  and  when  The  Simple 
Cobler  appeared  in  print,  the  King  was  already  a  prisoner. 
"It  is  now  nine  months  and  more  since  the  last  credible 
News  was  acted:  it  is  possible  by  this  the  Parliament  may 
be  at  the  King's  mercy." 

Two  personal  reminiscences  afford  an  interesting  digres- 


NATHANIEL    WARD    AND    THE    SIMPLE    COBLER.  99 

sion.  Prince  Rupert,  nephew  of  King  Charles  First,  was 
in  the  field,  the  roystering  leader  of  the  cavalry.  Some 
where  on  the  Continent,  Mr.  Ward  had  met  his  mother, 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  James  First  and  wife  of  the  Elector 
of  the  Palatinate,  and  the  little  Rupert.  ' '  I  have  had  him 
in  my  armes  when  he  was  younger,  I  wish  I  had  him  there 
now :  if  I  mistake  not,  he  promised  then  to  be  a  good  Prince, 
but  I  doubt  he  hath  forgot  it :  if  I  thought  he  would  not  be 
angry  with  me,  I  would  pray  hard  to  his  Maker,  to  make 
him  a  right  Roundhead,  a  wise  hearted  Palatine,  a  thank- 
full  man  to  the  English;  to  forgive  all  his  sinnes,  and  at 
length  to  save  his  soule,  notwithstanding  all  his  God-damne 
mee's:  yet  I  may  doe  him  wrong:  I  am  not  certaine  hee 
useth  that  oath;  I  wish  no  man  else  would:  I  dare  say 
the  Devills  dare  not.  I  thank  God  I  have  lived  in  a  Colony 
of  many  thousand  English  these  twelve  years,  am  held  a 
very  sociable  man ;  yet  I  may  considerately  say,  I  never 
heard  but  one  Oath  sworne,  nor  ever  saw  one  man  drunk, 
nor  ever  heard  of  three  women  Adulteresses,  in  all  this  time, 
that  I  can  call  to  minde"  (pp.  64,  65). 

Under  the  final  division,  Prosecution,  he  appeals  to  his 
countrymen  to  love  Truth,  and  pursue  it  at  any  cost.  Drop 
ping  his  puns,  he  exhorts  with  stirring  and  sonorous  words, 
"Goe  on  brave  Englishmen,  in  the  name  of  God,  go  on 
prosperously,  because  of  Truth  and  Righteousness ' '  (p.  73). 

The  thrilling  eloquence  of  this  prolonged  appeal,  the 
grandeur  of  its  imagery,  the  loftiness  of  its  tone,  reveal  the 
power  of  the  author.  The  final  passage,  beginning  "And 
Wee  your  Brethren,  though  we  necessarily  abide  beyond 
Jordan,  and  remaine  on  the  American  Sea-coasts,  will  send 
up  Armies  of  prayers  to  the  Throne  of  Grace,"  is  a  noble 
climax  and  end  (p.  75). 

Several  appendices  of  different  sorts  follow.  In  ' '  A  Word 
of  Ireland"  (p.  75)  the  author  lapses  into  brutal  ferocity 
of  speech  and  purpose  against ( '  the  truculent  cut-throats. ; ' 
He  heaps  upon  them  the  foulest  epithets  and  prays  that 
the  expedition  then  being  fitted  out  to  avenge  their  murder 
of  the  English  in  1641,  may  be  undertaken  "while  the 
hearts  and  hands  of  our  Souldiery  are  hot."  "Cursed  be 
he  that  holdeth  back  his  Sword  from  blood,"  he  cries. 
1 '  Cursed  be  he  that  maketh  not  his  Sword  starke  drunk 
with  Irish  blood,  that  doth  not  recompence  them  double 
for  their  hellish  treachery  to  the  English,  that  maketh  them 


100  NATHANIEL    WARD   AND   THE   SIMPLE   COBLER. 

not  heaps  upon  heaps,  and  their  country  a  dwelling  place 
for  Dragons,  an  Astonishment  to  Nations;  Let  not  that 
eye  look  for  pity,  nor  that  hand  to  be  spared,  that  pities  or 
spares  them,  and  let  him  be  accursed  that  curseth  not  them 
bitterly "  (p.  76). 

A  few  more  addresses, ' '  half  a  dozen  plaine  honest  Coun 
try  Hobnailes, ; '  as  he  styles  some  verses  which  follow,  and 
the  "Errata  at  non  Corrigenda/ ?a  burlesque  upon  the  Errata 
with  which  books  commonly  ended,  in  his  characteristic 
style,  complete  the  work. 

Judged  by  twentieth  century  standards,  The  Simple 
Cobler  maybe  called  a  sad  example  of  bigotry  and  pedantry, 
a  senseless  jargon  of  meaningless  words,  better  forgotten 
than  brought  once  more  to  remembrance.  Yet  to  the 
thoughtful  student  of  the  Past,  The  Cobler  is  still  a  work 
of  increasing  value. 

It  was  the  product  of  the  Puritan  age,  of  which  Carlyle 
wrote:  "The  Age  of  the  Puritans  is  not  extinct  only  and 
gone  away  from  us  but  it  is  as  if  fallen  beyond  the  capabili 
ties  of  Memory  herself;  it  is  grown  unintelligible,  what 
we  may  call  incredible.  Its  earnest  Purport  awakens  now 
no  resonance  in  our  frivolous  hearts.  We  understand 
not  even  in  imagination,  one  of  a  thousand  of  us,  what  it 
ever  could  have  meant.  It  seems  delirious,  delusive,  the 
sound  of  it  has  become  tedious  as  a  tale  of  past  stupidities. m 

The  age  of  the  Puritans  was  one  of  great  significance  in 
the  history  of  humanity,  and  The  Simple  Cobler  opens  to  us 
an  impressive  picture  of  that  time.  Its  literary  style  is 
illustrative  of  the  period.  The  Puritan  scholar  had  only 
his  Bible  and  the  classics.  The  drama  was  an  abomination 
to  him.  Though  Shakespeare  had  anticipated  Mr.  Ward 
more  than  twenty  years,  with  his  cobbler  in  the  first  act 
of  Julius  Caesar,  our  Ipswich  sage  probably  knew  nothing 
of  it.  But  Puritan  learning  was  profound  and  exact, 
within  its  limit.  The  extraordinary  fluency  hi  apt  and 
striking  quotations  from  many  classic  authors  reveals  a 
thorough  and  loving  acquaintance  with  the  ancient  masters 
of  style.  Indeed,  our  author  is  not  content  to  quote  his 
Bible  and  his  classics.  His  vocabulary  abounds  in  words 
that  are  Latin  and  Greek,  under  slight  disguise.  A  Latin 
lexicon  affords  a  better  clew  to  his  meaning  than  Webster  ;s 
Unabridged.  In  Mercurius  Anti-Mechanicus,  a  book  often 

1  Oliver  Cromwell's  Letters  and  Speeches,  1: 15. 


NATHANIEL  WARD   AND   THE   SIMPLE   COBLER.  101 

attributed  to  Mr.  Ward,  the  writer  observes,  "The  truth 
is  I  have  been  so  much  habituated  and  half  natured  into 
these  Latins  and  Greeks,  ere  I  was  aware,  that  I  neither  can 
expell  them,  nor  spell  my  own  mother-tongue  after  my  old 
fashion. " 1  It  was  not  intentional  pedantry,  we  may  well 
believe.  Many  words,  also,  have  grown  obsolete  in  the  lapse 
of  two  centuries  and  a  half,  and  obscurity  has  appeared 
where  there  was  none. 

Yet,  in  his  own  time,  Mr.  Ward's  style  was  peculiar  to 
himself  in  large  degree.  His  love  for  eccentric  and  "new 
quodled  words "  makes  his  meaning  often  uncertain.  His 
wearisome  antitheses  lead  him  to  strange  liberties  with 
his  mother  tongue.  His  wit  becomes  forced,  his  puns  are 
sometimes  coarse  and  even  vulgar.  His  metaphors  defy 
all  rules.  In  the  same  sentence  the  State  is  a  tabernacle 
and  a  ship.  "We  hoyse  up  sails"  is  followed  by  "to 
walk  on  by  twylight. ' '  Nevertheless  there  is  such  piquancy 
and  freshness,  such  fine  sentiment,  such  tones  of  thunder, 
that  many  readers  have  found  much  to  admire.  Carlyle 
might  have  sat  at  his  feet.  Robert  Southey,  the  Poet- 
Laureate,  owned  a  copy  of  The  Simple  Cobler,  marked 
throughout  with  marginal  pencillings  of  the  passages  that 
appealed  to  him.2  ' '  The  least  Truth  of  Gods  Kingdome, 
doth  in  its  place,  uphold  the  whole  Kingdome  of  his  Truths; 
take  away  the  least  vericulum  out  of  the  world,  and  it 
unworlds  all,  potentially,  and  may  unravell  the  whole  tex 
ture  actually,  if  it  be  not  conserved  by  an  Arm  of  superi- 
ordinary  power/'  is  one  passage  thus  designated  (p.  21). 
Another  was  the  noble  sentence,  worthy  of  Milton,  it  has 
been  said,  ' '  Non  senescet  veritas,  No  man  ever  saw  a  gray 
haire  on  the  head  or  beard  of  any  Truth,  wrinckle  or  mor- 
phew  on* its  face:  The  bed  of  Truth  is  green  all  the  yeare 
long"  (P:  22). 

The  ungallant  criticism  by  The  Cobler  of  women 's  dress 
was  only  the  echo  of  the  common  thought  of  the  time.  In 
1634,  and  again  in  1639,  the  Great  and  General  Court  con 
demned  the  wearing  of  laces  and  ribbons,  ruffs  and  cuffs, 
and  in  1651  it  was  enacted  that  no  one  whose  estate  did 
not  exceed  £200  should  wear  silk  or  tiffany  hoods  or  scarfs. 
The  wearing  of  long  hair  by  men  was  likewise  a  matter  of 
common  grief  to  the  godly  minded. 

1  John  Ward  Dean,  Rev.  Nathaniel  Ward,  p.  105. 

2  Ehiyckinck,  Cyclopaedia  of  American  Literature,  vol.  1 :  p.  24. 


102  NATHANIEL   WARD    AND    THE    SIMPLE    COBLER. 

The  sharp  arraignment  of  tolerance  was  the  common 
sentiment  of  New  and  Old  England.  Nathaniel  Ward  and 
his  friends  and  neighbors,  Gov.  Dudley  and  John  Norton, 
agreed  well  in  this.  Dudley  wrote: 

"Let  men  of  God  in  courts  and  churches  watch 
O'er  such  as  do  a  toleration  hatch," 

and  Norton  declared  that  for  the  putting  down  of  error 
"the  holy  tactics  of  the  civil  sword  should  be  employed."1 

His  fierce  outburst  against  the  Irish  was  in  line  with 
the  preaching  to  which  every  Puritan  congregation  listened 
with  delight.  Thomas  Hooker  proclaimed  to  sinners: 

"Judge  the  torments  of  hell  by  some  little  beginning 'of 
it,  and  the  dregs  of  the  Lord's  vengeance  by  some  little 
sips  of  it;  and  judge  how  unable  thou  art  to  bear  the  whole, 
by  thy  inability  to  bear  a  little  of  it.  ...  When  God  lays 
the  flashes  of  hell-fire  upon  thy  soul,  thou  canst  not  en 
dure  it.  ...  If  the  drops  be  so  heavy,  what  will  the 
whole  sea  of  God's  vengeance  be?"2 

Thomas  Shepard  of  Cambridge  described  the  condition 
of  the  sinner :  ' '  Thy  mind  is  a  nest  of  all  the  foul  opin 
ions,  heresies,  that  ever  were  vented  by  any  man ;  thy  heart 
is  a  foul  sink  of  all  atheism,  sodomy,  blasphemy,  murder, 
whoredom,  adultery,  witchcraft,  buggery ;  so  that  if  thou 
hast  any  good  thing  in  thee,  it  is  but  as  a  drop  of  rose-water 
in  a  bowl  of  poison.  ...  It  is  true  thou  feelest  not  all 
these  things  stirring  in  thee  at  one  time  .  .  .  but  they 
are  in  thee  like  a  nest  of  snakes  in  a  hedge. ' ;3 

They  exulted  in  the  imprecatory  Psalms,  in  the  Mosaic 
Law,  in  the  lake  of  everlasting  torment.  Their  pulpits  were 
begirt  with  thunderings  and  lightnings. 

John  Milton  closed  his  second  ' i  Defence  of  the  People  of 
England "  with  the  prayer:  "look  upon  this  thy  poor  and 
almost  spent  and  expiring  church ;  leave  her  not  thus  a  prey 
to  these  importunate  wolves,  that  wait  and  think  it  long, 
till  they  devour  thy  tender  flock;  those  wild  boars  that  have 
broken  into  thy  vineyard,  and  left  the  print  of  their  pollut 
ing  hoofs,  on  the  souls  of  thy  servants.  0,  let  them  not 
bring  about  their  damning  designs,  that  stand  now  at  the 
entrance  of  the  bottomless  pit,  expecting  the  watch-word 

1  M.  C.  Tyler,  Hist,  of  Amer.  Literature,  1 :  108. 

2  M.  C.  Tyler,  Hist,  of  Amer.  Literature,  1 :  200. 

3  M.  C.  Tyler,  Hist,  of  Amer.  Literature,  1 :  208. 


NATHANIEL    WARD    AND    THE    SIMPLE    COBLER.  103 

to  open  and  let  out  those  dreadful  locusts  and  scorpions, 
to  reinvolve  us  in  that  pitchy  cloud  of  infernal  darkness, 
where  we  shall  never  more  see  the  sun  of  thy  truth  again; 
never  hope  for  the  cheerful  dawn ;  never  more  hear  the  bird 
of  morning  sing. ' ' 

Oliver  Cromwell  wrote  his  friend  Col.  Walton  of  the  death 
of  his  oldest  son  on  the  battlefield : ' '  There  is  your  precious 
child  full  of  glory,  never  to  know  sin  or  sorrow  any 
more.  .  .  .  Before  his  death  he  was  so  full  of  comfort 
.  .  .  he  could  not  express  it,  i  It  was  so  great  above  his 
pain. '  A  little  after  he  said,  One  thing  lay  upon  his  spirit. 
I  asked  him,  What  that  was?  he  told  me  it  was.  That  God 
had  not  suffered  him  to  be  any  more  the  executioner  of 
His  enemies/'1 

In  his  letter  from  Dublin,  Sept.  16, 1649,  Cromwell  wrote : 
' t  It  hath  pleased  God  to  bless  our  endeavors  at  Drogheda. ' ' 
He  wrote  more  particularly  the  next  day :  l '  Divers  of  the 
Enemy  retreated  into  the  Mill  Mount,  a  place  very  strong 
and  of  difficult  access;  being  exceedingly  high,  having  a 
good  graft,  and  strongly  pallisadoed." 

"The  Governor,  Sir  Arthur  Ashton,  and  divers  considerable 
Officers  being  there,  our  men  getting  up  to  them,  were 
ordered  by  me  to  put  them  all  to  the  sword.  And  indeed, 
being  in  the  heat  of  action,  I  forbade  them  to  spare  any 
that  were  in  armes  in  the  Town,  and  I  think,  that  night, 
they  put  to  the  sword  about  2000  men : —  divers  of  the  offi 
cers  and  soldiers  being  fled  over  the  Bridge  into  the  other 
part  of  the  Town,  where  about  a  hundred  of  them  possessed 
St  Peter's  Church-steeple,  some  the  West  Gate  and  others 
a  strong  Round  Tower  next  the  Gate  called  St.  Sunday's. 
These  being  summoned  to  yield  to  mercy,  refused.  Where 
upon  I  ordered  the  steeple  of  St.  Peter's  Church  to  be  fired, 
when  one  of  them  was  heard  to  say  in  the  midst  of  the 
flames  '  God  damn  me,  God  confound  me ;  I  burn,  I  burn. ' ' 

"From  one  of  the  said  Towers,  notwithstanding  their 
condition,  they  killed  and  wounded  some  of  our  men. 
When  they  submitted,  their  officers  were  knocked  on  the 
head;  and  every  tenth  man  of  the  soldiers  killed;  and  the 
rest  shipped  for  the  Barbadoes." 

"I  am  persuaded  that  this  is  a  righteous  judgment  of 
God  upon  these  barbarous  wretches,  who  have  imbrued 
their  hands  in  so  much  innocent  blood. ' ' 

1  Carlyle,  Letters  and  Speeches  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  1 :  196. 


104          NATHANIEL  WARD   AND   THE   SIMPLE    COBLER. 

And  he  concludes  this  letter:  "And  now  give  me  leave 
to  say  how  it  comes  to  pass  that  this  work  is  wrought.  It 
was  set  upon  some  of  our  hearts,  That  a  great  thing  should 
be  done,  not  by  power  or  might,  but  by  the  spirit  of  God. 
And  is  it  not  so  clearly?  That  which  caused  your  men 
to  storm  so  courageously,  it  was  the  Spirit  of  God,  who 
gave  your  men  courage  and  took  it  away  again ;  and  gave 
the  Enemy  courage,  and  took  it  away  again;  and  gave  your 
men  courage  again,  and  therewith  this  happy  success.  And 
therefore  it  is  good  that  God  alone  have  all  the  glory. ' n 

Such  was  the  spirit  and  temper  of  the  Puritanism  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  in  New  England  and  Old  England, 
in  the  study  of  the  scholar,  in  the  pulpit  of  the  preacher,  on 
the  battlefield,  where  Oliver  and  his  Psalm  singers,  rising 
from  their  knees  in  prayer,  slew  their  enemy  without  pity. 
The  intolerance,  the  violence,  the  savageness  of  The  Simple 
Cobler  is  made  intelligible,  in  a  degree,  by  such  an  agreement 
of  men  of  godly  mind  in  such  speech  and  action. 

1  Carlyle,  Letters  and  Speeches  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  1 : 462,  463 


PUBLICATIONS   OF  THE  IPSWICH 
HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 
XIV, 


THE  SIMPLE  COBLER 

OF 

AGGAWAM 

BY 

REV.  NATHANIEL  WARD 

A  REPRINT  OF  THE  4TH  EDITION,  PUBLISHED  IN  1647,  WITH  FAC-SIMILES 

OF  TITLE  PAGE,  PREFACE,  AND  HEAD-LINES,  AND 

THE   EXACT  TEXT 

AND  AN  ESSAY 

NATHANIEL  WARD  AND   THE  SIMPLE  COBLER 

BY 

THOMAS  FRANKLIN  WATERS 

PRESIDENT  OF  THE  IPSWICH  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


PROCEEDINGvS  AT  THE  ANNUAL  MEETING 


DECEMBER  5,  1904. 


Salem 
THB  SALEM  PKESS  Go.,  SALEM, 

1905 


DMIT33M  JAIMHA  3IIT  TA 


88AM    .M3JA8   ,.OO 


ANNUAL  MEETING. 


The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Ipswich  Historical  Society 
was  held  December  5,  1904,  at  the  House  of  the  Society. 
The  following  officers  were  elected. 

President.— T.  Frank  Waters. 
Vice  Presidents. — John  B.  Brown, 

Francis  R.  Appleton. 
Directors. — Charles  A.  Sayward, 

John  H.  Cogswell, 

John  W.  Nourse. 
Clerk.— John  W.  Goodhue. 

Corresponding  Secretary  and  Treasurer. — T.  Frank  Waters. 
Librarian. — John  J.  Sullivan. 

SOCIAL  COMMITTEE. 

Mrs.  John  J.  Sullivan,  Miss  Lucy  Slade  Lord,   . 

Mrs.  Chas.  A.  Say  ward,  Miss  C.  Bertha  Dobson, 

Mrs.  Edward  F.  Brown,  Mrs.  Frank  H.  Stockwell, 

Mrs.  Cordelia  Damon,  Mrs.  Joseph  F.  Ross, 

Miss  Susan  C.  Whipple,  Mrs.  Frank  W.  Kyes. 

It  was  voted  that  the  Social  Committee  be  authorized  to 
fill  vacancies  in  its  membership. 

(107) 


PRESIDENT'S  REPORT,  DECEMBER  5,  1904. 


Our  Society  was  organized  on  April  14,  1890,  and  as  its 
fifteenth  year  is  well  advanced,  a  summary  of  the  year  may 
have  especial  interest.  The  Reports  already  read  indicate 
a  healthy  and  vigorous  life.  The  Register  of  our  House 
bears  the  names  of  854  visitors,  recorded  during  the  year 
ending  December  1st,  1904.  It  may  occasion  surprise  that 
this  is  the  smallest  registration  since  the  Society  entered  its 
present  home,  the  lowest  number  recorded  previously  being 
1008  in  1901.  This  decrease  is  not  to  be  taken  seriously, 
however.  It  is  simply  the  result  in  part  of  that  inevitable 
fluctuation  in  the  tide  of  summer  visitors,  which  is  always 
to  be  reckoned  on,  and  in  part,  as  well,  of  certain  easily 
discovered  causes. 

The  total  number  of  our  Ipswich  citizens  registered  is  41, 
while  the  number  registered  last  year  was  173.  This  dis 
crepancy  is  due  largely  to  the  fact  that  in  1903,  and  for 
several  years  before,  the  Woman 's  Club  gave  a  social,  which 
was  largely  attended  by  its  local  members,  whose  names 
were  duly  recorded.  This  custom  was  not  observed  in  1904. 
A  Midsummer  Tea  and  other  social  functions  found  place 
in  1903,  which  were  not  attempted  this  year.  There  is 
evident,  moreover,  an  increased  disregard  of  the  slight 
trouble  of  recording  their  names  on  the  part  of  members 
who  come  to  the  House  with  friends.  Naturally,  too,  the 
House  has  ceased  to  be  a  novelty,  and  the  fee  of  twenty- 
five  cents  may  debar  our  townsfolk,  who  are  not  members, 
from  frequent  visits.  We  trust,  however,  there  may  be  no 
diminution  in  the  number  of  Ipswich  visitors.  We  hope 
that  members  will  exercise  to  the  uttermost  their  privilege 
of  bringing  friends  to  the  House,  and  that  none  will  be  sen 
sitive  in  the  matter  of  repeated  visits. 

As  no  registration  is  made  on  social  occasions,  which  our 
citizens  generally  attend,  many  who  are  not  members  have 
an  opportunity  to  see  the  House  and  taste  its  good  cheer. 
We  may  well  consider  the  desirability  of  increasing  the 
number  and  variety  of  these  special  gatherings,  which 
(108) 


PRESIDENT'S  REPORT.  109 

appeal  to  many  who  are  not  interested  especially  in  his 
torical  pursuits.  Our  Society  is  doing  good  service  to  the 
community  when  a  supper  is  served,  and  the  ancient  rooms 
are  filled  by  young  and  old  from  the  representative  families 
of  our  old  town.  The  Woman's  Club  affords  a  common 
rallying  ground  for  the  women  of  the  town.  It  remains 
for  the  Historical  Society  to  do  like  service  for  the  men 
and  the  families  of  the  whole  community.  In  this  way, 
interest  in  the  House  and  the  Society  will  naturally  be 
increased,  a  new  pride  in  the  rare  and  beautiful  old  building 
will  be  kindled  and  gradually  our  townsfolk  will  come  to 
feel  that  the  Historical  Society  is  a  Town  institution,  where 
in  there  are  no  lines  of  distinction,  nor  grades  of  privilege, 
and  that  its  membership  should  include  one  representative 
at  least  of  every  Ipswich  family.  Our  ideal  of  the  Ipswich 
Historical  Society  will  not  be  attained  until  this  broad  and 
comprehensive  membership  shall  be  reached,  and  our 
House  shall  be  thronged  with  goodly  numbers  of  Ipswich 
people,  who  will  come,  with  their  children  and  friends,  to 
these  ancient  hearthstones,  again  and  again. 

It  is  gratifying  in  this  connection  to  note  that  while  the 
number  of  visitors  from  other  states  fell  from  402  in  1903 
to  306  in  1904,  the  number  of  residents  of  our  own  Common 
wealth,  outside  of  our  town,  increased  from  403  to  502. 

The  courtesies  of  the  House  have  been  extended  to  the 
Convention  of  the  Epworth  League,  April  19th;  the  Meth- 
uen  Historical  Society  on  July  13th;  the  Daughters  of  Re 
becca  on  July  27th;  the  Art  Class  on  August  8th;  and  the 
Hovey  Family  on  August  24th.  The  Class  in  Architecture 
in  the  Institute  of  Technology  with  their  instructor,  Mr. 
Ross  Turner,  the  eminent  water-color  artist,  spent  a  whole 
day  in  the  study  of  the  House  on  October  15th. 

The  financial  condition  of  the  Society  is  very  satisfactory. 
The  receipts  from  the  House,  though  less  than  last  year  for 
reasons  already  noted,  have  been  sufficient  to  pay  all  the 
running  expense,  the  insurance  on  the  property,  and  a  small 
balance  toward  the  interest  account.  By  the  purchase 
of  the  remainder  of  the  lot  in  which  the  House  stands,  the 
mortgage  indebtedness  was  raised  to  $3500,  and  the  interest 
on  the  mortgage  amounted  to  $111.08,  in  1903.  Through 
the  payment  of  the  legacy  bequeathed  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
M.  Brown  and  the  use  of  a  small  surplus,  the  mortgage  has 
been  reduced  this  year  to  $2800,  but  the  interest  has  made 


110  PRESIDENT'S  REPORT. 

large  demands.  One  hundred  and  thirty-five  dollars  were 
required  to  meet  this  account.  Fortunately  another  con 
siderable  reduction  of  the  debt  can  be  made  on  January  1st, 
and  a  corresponding  reduction  in  the  expense  for  interest 
in  the  coming  year.  The  assured  income  from  the  con 
stantly  enlarging  membership  and  the  steady  current  of 
visitors  will  soon  reduce  our  indebtedness  to  a  compara 
tively  small  sum. 

The  hearty  thanks  of  the  Society  are  due  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Washington  P.  Pickard  for  their  efficient  and  enthusiastic 
services  as  Curators.  They  have  had  a  fine  regard  for  the 
interests  of  the  Society  in  admitting  visitors  at  almost  any 
hour,  and  have  shown  a  commendable  desire  to  make  their 
visits  interesting.  The  high  reputation  of  the  House  as  a 
clean  and  inviting  dwelling  has  been  well  sustained.  Mr. 
Pickard  has  had  full  charge  of  the  grounds,  and  has  kept 
them  in  excellent  fashion.  The  modest  charge  he  has  made 
for  these  extra  services  has  been  well  earned. 

Our  Publications  have  attained  now  to  Number  XIII. 
The  title  of  the  last  issue  was  "  Fine  Thread,  Lace  and  Hosiery 
in  Ipswich  by  Jesse  Fewkes,  and  Ipswich  Mills  and  Facto 
ries  by  T.  Frank  Waters. ; '  It  has  been  well  received  and  a 
considerable  number  has  been  sold.  Frequent  requests  for 
these  pamphlets  come  from  large  libraries,  notably  from 
the  Free  Public  Library  of  Birmingham,  England,  and 
from  individuals  who  are  interested  in  the  Town  of  their 
forbears.  Number  X, ' '  The  Hotel  Cluny  of  a  New  England 
Village, ' '  has  been  an  exceptionally  popular  issue,  and 
many  copies  are  sold  every  year. 

By  the  loan  of  our  half-tone  plate  of  the  monument  which 
stands  before  the  Meeting  House  of  the  South  Church,  the 
Society  has  contributed  aid  to  the  publication  by  Miss 
Elizabeth  Porter  Gould,  of  Boston,  of  her  admirable  book 
"Ezekiel  Cheever,  Schoolmaster. ' '  Mr.  Cheever  gained 
high  renown  by  his  ten  years'  work  as  Master  of  the 
Ipswich  Grammar  School. 

We  may  hope  that  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  our  Society 
has  been  marked  by  the  election  of  two  of  our  citizens  to 
life  membership,  upon  payment  of  fifty  dollars  each,  and 
the  payment  of  the  first  legacy  the  Society  has  received 
from  the  estate  of  a  deceased  member. 

This  new  form  of  membership,  hitherto  held  only  by  a 
lady  of  an  old  Ipswich  family,  by  which  all  the  privileges 


PRESIDENT'S  REPORT.  Ill 

and  benefits  of  active  membership  are  secured  perpetually 
without  further  assessment,  may  thus  be  brought  to  the 
favorable  notice  of  other  friends  of  the  Society.  Such 
gifts  are  opportune  and  valuable.  They  increase  our  finan 
cial  strength,  rouse  fresh  confidence  and  encourage  us  to 
look  forward  to  such  a  regular  increase  of  resources  that  a 
larger  work  may  be  possible  and  wise. 

The  payment  of  the  legacy  may  suggest  to  philanthropic 
friends  of  our  Town,  and  of  the  Historical  Society,  a  wise 
testamentary  gift.  Already  generous  provision  has  been 
made  for  our  Public  Library  and  for  the  Manning  School. 
The  Historical  Society  comes  now  to  public  notice  as  an  in 
stitution,  already  beyond  the  stage  when  its  permanence 
and  usefulness  may  seriously  be  questioned.  It  is  already 
in  its  fifteenth  year,  with  a  large  and  growing  member 
ship,  a  unique  and  valuable  property,  a  sound  financial 
condition,  and  a  record  of  service  to  the  community  of 
which  none  need  be  ashamed.  It  is  in  a  condition  to  re 
ceive  and  use  a  large  endowment. 

A  Memorial  building,  of  which  frequent  mention  has 
already  been  made,  would  be  a  worthy  monument  to  the 
men  and  women  whose  names  are  honored  and  loved,  and 
would  afford  the  opportunity  for  an  enlargement  of  our 
collections  and  for  a  broadening  of  our  scope  of  usefulness. 
Such  a  building  would  be  a  grand  supplement  to  our  ancient 
House.  Upon  its  walls,  without  and  within,  might  be 
carved  the  names  of  the  wise  and  good  of  many  genera 
tions.  It  would  provide  room  for  a  large  and  well  ar 
ranged  historic  museum,  for  the  library,  which  is  yet  in 
embryo,  of  a  special,  historic  character,  and  for  a  hall  of 
moderate  size,  which  would  be  of  great  value  to  the  Town 
as  well  as  to  the  Society.  Through  such  a  building,  the 
noble  history  of  our  Town  would  make  inspiring  appeal  to 
the  present  generation,  and  other  generations  that  are  to  be. 
The  erection  of  such  a  building  and  its  endowment  would 
require  less  than  the  cost  of  a  single  beautiful  residence  of 
the  kind  which  are  now  being  reared  in  our  midst.  May 
not  some  generous  lover  of  a  noble  ancestor,  by  a  munifi 
cent  gift,  or  a  group  of  large-minded  and  far-sighted  men 
and  women  by  their  bequests  make  this  vision  a  thing  of 
brick  and  stone,  for  beauty  and  for  use,  for  education  and 
inspiration? 

(211) 


REPORT  OF  THE  CURATOR 
for  the  year  ending  December  1,  1904. 

Total  number  of  visitors  registered,      -----    854 
Ipswich    residents,      -----------      41 

From  other  towns  and  cities  in  Massachusetts,       -    502 
From  outside   the  State,    ---------311 


Total   registration,       -------    1899  1,134 

"      -                                     -    1900  1,513 

1901  1,008 

1902  1,052 
" -    -    -    -    1903  1,097 


(112) 


REPORT    OF    THE    TREASURER  FOR    THE 
ENDING  DECEMBER  1,  1904. 

T.  Frank  Waters  in  account  with  Ipswich  Historical 

Dr. 

Membership  Fees, 
Legacy,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  M.  Brown, 
Receipts  from  the  House, 
Door  Fees,     - 

Sale  of  publications,      ----- 
"      "     pictures, 

"  "  stationery,  ----- 
Entertainment  of  Methuen  Historical  Society, 
Supper,  Nov.  30,  1904,  - 


Balance  in  treasury,  Dec.  1,  1903, 


Cr. 

Paid  on  Mortgage, 

for  Interest,  - 

"      "    Printing, 

"    Insurance,        ______ 

"      "    Stationery  and  postage,  - 
"      "    Incidentals, 

"      "    House  account,     running  expenses, 
Fuel, 
Furniture,        ______ 

Repairs  and  care, 

Water, 

Photographs,  two  years, 

Cash  in  treasury, 

The  mortgage  upon  the  property  is  now  $2800. 


$130.38 
26.50 
24.85 
1.46 
26.50 
32.40 

242.09 


50.66 
51.09 
59.33 
14.64 
25.74 


201.46 


YEAR 

Society. 


$345.50 
500.00 


242.09 

1087.59 
357.52 

$1445.11 


5700.00 

135.00 

127.62 

24.00 

16.09 

45.16 


201.46 
195.78 

$1445.11 


DONATIONS     TO     THE     IPSWICH     HISTORICAL 
SOCIETY    FOR    THE    YEAR    ENDING 
DECEMBER   1,    1904. 


AMERICAN  ANTIQUARIAN  SOCIETY.  Annual  Report.  Ser 
mon  on  the  Utility  of  a  Permanent  Ministry  by  David 
T.  Kimball.  Ipswich,  1839. 

BENJ.  H.  CONANT.    Wenham  Town  Report. 

Miss  ROXANA  C.  COWLES.  Circular  Leather  Valise,  owned 
and  carried  by  her  father,  Prof.  John  P.  Cowles,  on  his 
horseback  journeys  in  Ohio,  and  his  Leather  Sermon 
Case.  Two  reels,  one  with  clock  attachment.  Spin 
ning  wheel.  Celestial  globe,  1818,  and  terrestrial  globe, 
owned  and  used  by  Miss  Zilpah  P.  Grant,  purchased 
by  Prof.  Cowles.  Pencil  Drawings  of  County  House 
and  Kimball  Manse.  Two  guns,  one  with  flint  lock. 
Cartridge-box.  Tin  kitchen.  Toaster.  Gridiron. 

DUMMER  ACADEMY.    Catalogue. 

ESSEX  INSTITUTE,  Salem.     Publications. 

MRS.  JONATHAN  E.  GOODHUE,  Newark,  N.  Y.  The  Good- 
hue  Family. 

JAMES  GRIFFIN.    Wasps '  nest. 

D.  R.  JACK,  St.  John,  N.  B.  Publications  of  the  New 
Brunswick  Historical  Society.  No.  5.  Acadiensis.  iv, 
2,  3,  4. 

MEDFORD  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY.     Publications. 

Miss  ESTHER  PARMENTER.  Epaulet,  worn  by  an  ances 
tor  in  the  war  of  1812.  Three  chairs  and  a  footstool 
made  by  her  step-father's  grandfather. 

B.  F.  SOUTHWICK,  Peabody.    Set  of  Province  Laws. 

JULIA  NOYES  STICKNEY,  West  Newbury.  Poem  on  Lake 
Winnipisaukee. 

TOWLE  MANUFACTURING  Co.  Outline  of  Life  and  Works 
of  Col.  Paul  Revere. 

FRANCIS  H.  WADE.    Morse's  Universal  Geography. 

(114) 


Membership  in  the  Ipswich  Historical  Society  involves 
the  payment  of  an  annual  due  of  $2,  or  a  single  payment  of 
$50,  which  secures  Life  Membership.  Members  are  entitled 
to  a  copy  of  the  regular  publications  of  the  Society,  in  pam 
phlet  form,  without  expense,  free  admission  to  the  House 
with  friends,  and  the  privilege  of  voting  in  the  business 
meetings. 

There  are  no  restrictions  as  to  place  of  residence.  Any 
person,  who  is  interested  in  the  Society  and  desires  to  pro 
mote  its  welfare,  is  eligible  to  membership.  We  desire  to 
enlarge  the  non-resident  membership  list  until  it  shall  include 
as  many  as  possible  of  those,  who  trace  their  descent  to  our 
Town. 

Names  may  be  sent  at  any  time  to  the  President,  but  the 
election  of  members  usually  occurs  only  at  the  annual  meet 
ing  in  December. 


(115) 


ANNUAL  MEETING. 


The  Animal  meeting  of  the  Ipswich  Historical  Society 
was  held  on  Monday,  December  4, 1905,  at  Whipple  House. 
The  following  officers  were  elected. 

President— T.  Frank  Waters. 
Vice  Presidents. — John  B.  Brown, 

Francis  R.  Appleton. 
Directors. — Charles  A.  Say  ward, 

John  H.  Cogswell, 

John  W.  Nourse. 
Clerk.— John  W.  Goodhue. 

Corresponding  Secretary  and  Treasurer. — T.  Frank  Waters. 
Librarian. — John  J.  Sullivan. 

SOCIAL  COMMITTEE. 

Mrs.  John  J.  Sullivan,  Miss  Lucy  Slade  Lord, 

Mrs.  Chas.  A.  Sayward,  Miss  C.  Bertha  Dobson, 

Mrs.  Edward  F.  Brown,  Mrs.  Frank  H.  Stockwell, 

Mrs.  Cordelia  Damon,  Mrs.  Joseph  F.  Ross, 

Miss  Susan  C.  Whipple,  Mrs.  Frank  W.  Kyes. 

The  Committee  was  authorized  to  fill  any  vacancies  that 
may  occur  in  its  membership,  and  enlarge  it,  if  occasion 
requires. 

(H6) 


REPORT    OF  THE  PRESIDENT  FOR  THE   YEAR 
ENDING  DEC.  1,  1905. 


Our  survey  of  the  past  year  reveals  stable  and  gratifying 
prosperity,  as  the  good  fortune  of  our  Society.  The  list  of 
members  shows  a  steady  gain,  and  every  year  more  of  our 
townsfolk,  of  the  summer  residents,  and  of  non-residents, 
who  have  an  ancestral  connection  with  our  town,  are  en 
rolled.  Thus  our  Society  serves  as  a  bond  of  union  between 
the  friends  of  Ipswich,  wherever  they  are  found. 

The  Report  of  the  Curator  shows  that  the  registered 
number  of  visitors  at  Whipple  House  has  again  passed  the 
thousand  mark.  As  was  remarked  in  the  last  Annual 
Report  a  surprisingly  small  number  of  our  townspeople, 
though  they  are  members  of  the  Society,  seem  willing  to 
record  their  names.  Only  seventy-three  were  registered 
last  year,  but  our  Curator  reports  that  many  more  have 
called.  Though  it  is  a  matter  of  regret,  that  we  may  not 
know  how  many  of  our  citizens  show  their  interest  in  the 
House  by  coming  with  their  friends,  it  is  gratifying  that 
so  large  a  number  of  visitors,  who  inspected  these  rooms 
during  the  year  were  from  other  towns  and  cities  of  the 
Commonwealth  and  nearly  four  hundred  from  other  States. 
Thus  the  good  name  of  the  Society  and  its  House  is  spread 
abroad,  and  it  frequently  happens,  in  my  own  experience 
and  no  doubt  in  yours,  that  in  the  most  unexpected  places 
chance  acquaintances  are  met,  who  dilate  with  enthusiasm 
upon  their  visit  to  this  ancient  dwelling.  As  in  other  years, 
societies  of  various  kinds  seeking  the  most  inviting  locality 
possible  for  a  summer  holiday  have  bethought  themselves 
of  Ipswich.  The  Boston  Tea  Party  Chapter  and  the  Old 
Newbury  Chapter  of  the  D.  A.  R.  rallied  here  on  June  9, 
and  the  State  Chapter  on  June  28.  The  Hovey  Family  held 
its  annual  reunion,  and  the  Art  Class  of  Mr.  Dow  gathered 
en  masse  for  an  evening  lecture,  by  the  President  by  can 
dlelight  in  the  quaint  old  rooms.  A  goodly  number  of  the 
members  of  the  Gloucester  Scientific  and  Historical  So 
ciety  came  on  a  bright  August  day,  and  in  September  some 

(117) 


118  PRESIDENT'S  REPORT. 

good  women  of  Marblehead,  of  Unity  Rebekah  Lodge, 
and  the  Holmes  Outing  Club  of  Haverhill  drifted  hither. 

The  newly  organized  society  for  lace-working  met  during 
the  early  summer  months  in  the  airy  bed-chamber,  and  an 
elaborate  and  beautiful  display  of  laces  was  made  in  the 
exhibition  and  sale  arranged  by  them  in  these  rooms. 

Financially  we  stand  well  with  the  world.  The  single 
item  of  membership  fees  netted  $480,  and  the  receipts  from 
the  House  from  door  fees,  sales  of  publications  and  the 
entertainment  of  visiting  societies  amounted  to  $205.75. 
Early  last  spring  the  Ipswich  Mills  Corporation  bought  the 
Peatfield  estate  adjoining  our  property  and  established  a 
lumber  yard.  The  Superintendent  very  courteously  au 
thorized  me  to  proceed  with  any  scheme  of  shrubbery  or 
ornamental  gardening  that  might  seem  advisable  to  take 
off  the  rawness  of  the  lumber  piles.  A  spruce  hedge 
seemed  the  best  screen,  and  the  trees  were  purchased  and 
set  out.  When  they  were  delivered,  their  appearance  was 
not  prepossessing  and  though  carefully  planted,  all  but  six 
died. 

This  account  has  not  been  settled,  and  the  sum  paid  by 
the  Mills  remains  in  the  treasury,  exct  pt  that  which  was 
paid  for  the  tree  setting. 

The  expenditures  included  a  payment  of  $300  on  the 
mortgage,  reducing  it  to  $2500,  and  $106.33  for  interest. 
The  receipts  from  the  House  furnished  a  surplus  of  nearly 
$40,  after  all  expenses  incident  to  the  House  and  grounds 
were  met.  A  balance  of  $290.60  remains  in  the  treasury. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  no  expense  for  printing  has  been 
incurred  this  year.  The  demands  upon  my  time  by  the 
book,  Ipswich  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony,  which 
was  issued  in  September,  were  so  great  in  the  early  months 
of  the  year,  that  no  attention  could  be  given  to  the  usual 
publication.  At  a  later  time,  the  manuscript  was  pre 
pared  and  sent  to  the  printer,  with  the  expectation  of 
distributing  it  in  November.  Unavoidable  delays  arose, 
however,  and  now  it  seems  best  to  issue  the  pamphlet  at 
once,  with  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  appended. 

It  may  be  a  fortunate  way  of  meeting  the  expense  of  a 
rather  costly  publication  by  dividing  it  thus  between  two 
years.  This  work  which  is  nearly  complete  is  a  reprint  of 
"The  Simple  Cobler  of  Aggawam"  by  our  famous  min 
ister,  Nathaniel  Ward.  The  late  D.  F.  Appleton  Esq. 


PRESIDENT'S  REPORT.  119 

gave  the  Society  a  copy  of  the  4th  edition,  printed  in 
London  in  1647.  Facsimiles  have  been  made  of  the  title- 
page,  preface,  head-lines  and  ornamental  initials,  the  an 
tique  form  of  the  letter  s  has  been  used,  the  exact  spelling, 
punctuation  and  page  division  has  been  followed,  and  a 
very  near  approach  has  been  made  to  a  reproduction.  An 
Essay  on  Nathaniel  Ward  and  The  Simple  Cobler  has  been 
appended.  A  portion  of  the  edition  will  be  issued  in  the 
usual  form  but  a  considerable  number  of  copies  will  be 
bound  in  book  form,  in  the  hope  that  book-lovers  may  es 
teem  it  a  volume  worth  purchasing. 

Though  the  recently  issued,  Ipswich  hi  the  Massachu 
setts  Bay  Colony  bears  the  imprint  of  the  Ipswich  Histor 
ical  Society,  the  Society  has  been  involved  in  no  expense 
in  its  publication,  and  has  gained  prestige  as  a  publisher  of 
historical  works. 

The  principal  addition  to  our  furnishings  is  an  ancient 
desk,  which  was  put  in  perfect  condition,  and  presented  by 
Mr.  Francis  R.  Appleton.  The  Secretary  of  the  Common 
wealth,  with  the  co-operation  of  Mr.  Tillinghast,  the  State 
Librarian,  has  very  kindly  presented  the  Society  a  full  set 
of  the  Vital  Statistics  so  far  as  published,  and  ihe  new  issues 
are  sent  as  they  appear.  The  very  valuable  Record  of  the 
Soldiers  and  Sailors  of  the  Revolution,  which  is  given  by 
the  State,  is  approaching  completion. 

Very  recently,  the  Librarian  of  the  State  Library  of  Con 
necticut,  Mr.  George  S.  Godard,  made  a  request  for  a  file  of 
our  publications,  and  in  return,  has  sent  nineteen  volumes 
of  the  State  Manual,  from  1887  to  1905,  with  the  very 
kindly  remark  that  "  Ipswich  has  a  tender  place  in  the 
hearts  of  Connecticut  people,"  because  of  its  gift  of  John 
Winthrop  Jr. 

The  thanks  of  the  Society  are  due  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pickard 
for  their  regard  for  the  interests  of  the  Society  and  the 
good  name  of  the  House.  Visitors  always  find  a  cordial 
welcome.  House  and  grounds  are  always  well  kept  and 
inviting. 


REPORT  OF  THE  CURATOR 

During  the  year,  December  1,  1904  to  December  1,  1905, 
1041  names  of  visitors  have  been  registered. 

73  were  residents  of  Ipswich. 

594  were  residents  of   other  towns  and  cities  in  Massa 
chusetts. 

376  were  residents  of  other  States. 

Jane  9,  The   Boston  Tea  Party  Chapter,    and  The  Old 
Newbury  Chapter,  D.  A.  R.  visited  the  house. 

June  28,  The  State  Chapter  of  D.  A.  R. 

August  1,  The  Hovey  Family  held  its  reunion  at  the  house. 

August  2,  The  Gloucester  Historical  Society. 

August  7,  The  Art  Class  of  Prof.  A.  W.  Dow. 

Sept.  13,  Unity  Rebekah  Lodge,  I.  0.  0  .F.  of  Marblehead. 

Sept.  18,  The  Holmes  Outing  Club  of  Haverhill. 

WASHINGTON  P.  PICKARD, 

Curator. 
(120) 


REPORT  OF  THE  TREASURER  OF  THE  IPSWICH 

HISTORICAL  SOCIETY,  FOR  THE  YEAR 

ENDING  DECEMBER  1,  1905. 

T.  F.  Waters  in  account  with  the  Ipswich  Historical  Society. 

Dr. 

To  Membership  fees, 

"  Contribution  from  Ipswich  Mills,  for  shrubbery, 
"  Receipts  from  Whipple  House, 

Door  Fees,          ......     $134.20 


$480.00 
31.50 


Sale  of  Publications,  .... 

"     "  Pictures, 

"     "  Stationery, 

Entertainment  of  the   Boston  Tea  Party 

Chapter,  D.  A.  R., 

Entertainment  of  the  Gloucester  Historical 
Society, 

Balance  in  treasury,  Dec.  1,  1904, 


31.85 

16.50 

1.20 

12.00 

10.00 
205.75 


Cr. 


Paid  on  Mortgage, 
"  for  Interest, 

"    "  Stationery  and  expressage, 
"    "  Books, 
"    "  Incidentals, 
"    "  House  account, 

Fuel, 

Table  ware 

Water  bills, 

Furniture, 

Hardware, 

Supper  no 

Pictures, 


205.75 

717.25 
208.59 

$925.84 


$300.00 

106.33 

13.35 

7.00 

41.31 


26.82 
16.00 

14.55 

9.30 

.  •       .         .         .          7.77 

bices,  etc.,          .         .         .         .          5.50 

17.45 

•ubbery,     9.00 

d  care  of  house  and  grounds,      .        60.86 

167.25 

167.25 

635.24 

y,  Dec.  1,  1905, 

290.60 

$925.84 


The  mortgage  is  now  $2500. 


(121) 


MEMBERS. 


LIFE  MEMBERS. 


Mrs.  Alice  C.  Bemis 
James  H.  Proctor 
Charles  G.  Bice 


Colorado  Springs,  Col. 
Ipswich,  Mass. 


RESIDENT   MEMBERS. 


Dr.  Charles  E.  Ames, 

Mrs.  Susan  A.  R.  Appleton, 

Francis  R.  Appleton, 

Mrs.  Frances  L.  Appleton, 

James  W.  Appleton, 

Randolph  M.  Appleton, 

Miss  S.  Isabel  Arthur, 

Dr.  G.  Guy  Bailey, 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  H.  Baker, 

Mrs.  Ellen  B.  Baker, 

John  H.  Baker, 

Miss  Katharine  C.  Baker, 

Charles  W.  Bamford, 

George  E.  Barnard, 

Miss  Mary  D.  Bates, 

John  A.  Blake, 

James  W.  Bond, 

Warren  Boynton, 

Albert  S.  Brown, 

Albert  S.  Brown,  Jr., 

Miss  Annie  Gertrude  Brown, 

Charles  W.  Brown, 

Edward  F.  Brown, 

Mrs.  Carrie  R.  Brown, 

Henry  Brown, 

Mrs.  Lavinia  A.  Brown, 

Robert  Brown, 

Ralph  W.  Burnham, 

Mrs.  Nellie  Mae  Burnham, 

Fred  F.  Byron, 

Miss  Joanna   Caldwell, 

Miss  Lydia  A.  Caldwell, 

Miss  Sarah  P.  Caldwell, 

Charles  A.  Campbell, 

Mrs.  Lavinia  Campbell, 

Edward  W.  Choate, 

Philip  E.  Clarke, 

Mrs.  Mary  E.  Clarke, 

Miss  Lucy  C.  Coburn, 

Sturgis  Coffin,  2d, 

John  H.  Cogswell, 

(122) 


Theodore  F.  Cogswell, 
Miss  Harriet  D.  Condon, 
Brainerd  J.  Conley, 
Rev.  Edward  Constant, 
Miss  Roxana  C.  Cowles, 
Rev.  Temple  Cutler, 
Arthur  C.  Damon, 
Mrs.  Carrie  Damon, 
Mrs.  Cordelia  Damon, 
Everett  G.  Damon, 
Harry  K.  Damon, 
Mrs.  Abby  Danforth, 
Miss  Edith  L.  Daniels, 
Mrs.  Howard  Dawson, 
George  G.  Dexter, 
Miss  C.  Bertha  Dobson, 
Harry  K.  Dodge, 
Rev.  John  M.  Donovan, 
Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Dudley, 
Mrs.  Charles  G.  Dyer, 
Miss  Emeline  C.  Farley, 
Mrs.  Emma  Farley, 
Miss  Lucy  R.  Farley, 
Miss  Abbie  M.  Fellows, 
Benjamin  Fewkes, 
James  E.  Gallagher, 
John  S.  Glover, 
Charles  E.  Goodhue, 
Frank  T.  Goodhue, 
John  W.  Goodhue, 
William  Goodhue, 
John  J.  Gould, 
David  A.  Grady, 
James  Grafium, 
Mrs.  Eliza  H.  Green, 
Mrs.  Lois  H.  Hardy, 
George  Harris, 
Mrs.  Kate  L.  Haskell, 
George  H.  W.  Hayes, 
Mrs.  Alice  L.  Heard, 
Miss  Alice  Heard, 


NON-RESIDENT    MEMBERS. 


123 


John  Heard, 
Miss  Mary  A.  Hodgdon, 
Mrs.  Louise  S.  Hodgkins, 
Miss  S.  Louise  Holmes, 
Charles  G.  Hull, 
Miss  Lucy  S.  Jewett, 
Miss  Amy  M.  Johnson, 
Miss  Ida  B.  Johnson, 
John  A.  Johnson, 
Miss  Ellen  M.  Jordan, 
Albert  Joyce, 
Charles  M.  Kelly, 
Mrs.  Caroline  Kenyon, 
Fred  A.  Kimball, 
Robert  S.  Kimball, 
Mrs.  Isabella  G.  Kimball, 
Miss  Bethiah  D.  Kinsman, 
Miss  Mary  E.  Kinsman, 
Mrs.  Susan  K.  Kinsman, 
Dr.  Frank  W.  Kyes, 
Mrs.  Georgie  C.  Kyes, 
Curtis  E.  Lakemau, 
J.  Howard  Lakeman, 
Mrs.  G.  F.  Langdon, 
Austin    L.  Lord, 
George  A.  Lord, 
Dr.  Sidney  A.  Lord, 
Miss  Lucy  Slade  Lord, 
Thomas  H.  Lord, 
Mrs.  Lucretia  S.  Lord, 
Walter  E.  Lord, 
Mrs.  Mary  B.  Main, 
James  F.  Mann, 
Joseph  Marshall, 
Everard  H.  Martin, 
Mrs.  Marietta  K.  Martin, 
Miss  Abby  L.  Newman, 
Mrs.  Amanda  K.  Nichols, 
William  J.  Norwood, 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  B.  Norwood, 
John  W.  Nourse, 
Charles  H.  Noyes, 
Mrs.  Harriet  E.  Noyes, 
Rev.  Reginald  Pearce, 
I.  E.  B.  Perkins, 
Miss  Carrie  S.  Perley, 


Augustine  H.  Plouff, 
Mrs.  Frances  Richardson, 
James  S.  Robinson,  Jr., 
Mrs.  Anna  C.  C.  Robinson, 
Miss  Anna  W.  Ross, 
Frederick  G.  Ross, 
Mrs.  Mary  F.  Ross, 
Joseph  F.  Ross, 
Mrs.  Helene  Ross, 
Dr.  William  H.  Russell, 
William  S.  Russell, 
William  W.  Russell, 
Daniel  Safford, 
Angus  Savory, 
Charles  A.  Say  ward, 
Mrs.  Henrietta  W.  Say  ward, 
George  A.  Schofleld, 
Amos  E.  Scotton, 
Nathaniel  Shatswell, 
Mrs.  Harriet  G.  Shaw, 
Dexter  M.  Smith, 
Mrs.  Olive  P.  Smith, 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  K.  Spaulding, 
George  W.  Starkey, 
Dr.  Frank  H.  Stockwell, 
Mrs.  Sadie  B.  Stockwell, 
Miss  Lucy  Belle  Story, 
Edward  M.  Sullivan, 
John  J.  Sullivan, 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  M.  Sullivan, 
Arthur  L.  Sweetser, 
Samuel  H.  Thurston, 
George  W.  Tozer, 
Miss  Ellen  R.  Trask, 
Jesse  H.  Wade, 
Miss  Nellie  F.  Wade, 
Miss  Emma  E.  Wait, 
Luther  Wait, 
Rev.  T.  Frank  Waters, 
Mrs.  Adeline  M.  Waters, 
Miss  Susan  C.  Whipple, 
Frederick  G.  Whittier, 
Mrs.  Marianna  Whittier, 
Miss  Eva  Adams  Willcomb, 
Chester  P.  Woodbury. 


NON-RESIDENT   MEMBERS. 

Frederick  J.  Alley Hamilton,  Mass. 

Mrs.  Mary  G.  Alley 

William  F.  J.  Boardman Hartford,  Conn. 

Albert  D.  Bosson* Chelsea,  Mass. 

Mrs.  Alice  C.  Bosson* "  " 

Mrs.  Mary  P.  Bosworth New  York,  N.  Y. 

John  B.  Brown* Chicago,  111. 

Mrs.  Lucy  T.  Brown* "         " 


*  Summer  home  In  Ipswich. 


124  NON-RESIDENT   MEMBERS. 

Frank  T.  Burnbam So.  Framingham,  Mass. 

Rev.  Augustine  Caldwell Eliot,  Me. 

Eben  Caldwell Elizabeth,  N.  J. 

Miss  Florence  F.  Caldwell Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Mrs.  Luther  Caldwell Lynn,  Mass. 

Miss  Mira  E.  Caldwell 

Rufus  Choate  Essex,  Mass. 

Alexander  B.  Clark  Peabody,  Mass. 

Mrs.  Edward  Cordis Jamaica  Plain,  Mass. 

Dr.  Richard  H.  Derby New  York,  N.  Y. 

Joseph  D.  Dodge Lynn,  Mass. 

Mrs.  Edith  S.  Dole Newbury,  Mass. 

Arthur  W.  Dow* Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Joseph  K.  Farley       .        .        .  Lihue,  Kauai,  Hawaiian  Islands. 

Sylvanus  C.  Farley Alton,  111. 

Edward  B.  George Rowley,  Mass. 

Dr.  J.  L.  Goodale* Boston,  Mass. 

Dr.  E.  S.  Goodhue     .        .        .        Wailuku,  Maui,  Hawaiian  Islands. 

Samuel  V.  Goodhue Salem,  Mass. 

Dr.  F.  B.  Harrington* Boston,  Mass. 

Rev.  Horace  C.  Hovey Newburyport,  Mass. 

Miss  Ruth  A.  Hovey Lake  Mohonk,  N.  Y. 

Gerald  L.  Hoyt* New  York,  N.  Y. 

Mrs.  May  Hoyt* "        "          " 

Miss  Julia  Hoyt* « 

Lydig  Hoyt* MM          « 

Albert  P.  Jordan Fresno,  Cal. 

Arthur  S.  Kimball Oberlin,  Ohio. 

Rev.  John  C.  Kimball Greenfield,  Mass. 

Rev.  Frederic  J.  Kinsman NewYork,  N.  Y. 

Mrs.  Mary  A.  Lord* Boston,  Mass. 

Mrs.  Frances  E.  Markoe  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Mrs.  Anna  Osgood*  Orange,  N.  J. 

Rev.  Robert  B.  Parker* Providence,  R.  I. 

Moritz  B.  Philipp*  New  York,  N.  Y. 

Bowen  W.  Pierson  "        "        . " 

Frederick  H.  Plouff Boston,  Mass. 

Mrs.  Jessie  W.  P.  Purdy Reading,  Penn. 

A.  Davidson  Remick •«          «« 

James  E.  Richardson         ......  Salem,  Mass. 

Dr.  Mark  W.  Richardson* Boston,  Mass. 

Mrs.  Lucy  C.  Roberts Cambridge,  Mass. 

John  B.  Shearer Byfleld,  Mass. 

Mrs.  E.  M.  H.  Slade New  York,  N.  Y. 

Edward  A.  Smith      .......  Salem,  Mass. 

Miss  Elizabeth  P.  Smith "          " 

Henry  P.  Smith Brookline,  Mass. 

Mrs.  Caroline  P.  Smith "          " 

Rev.  R.  Cotton  Smith* Washington,  D.  C. 

Dr.  E.  W.  Taylor* Boston,  Mass. 

Rev.  William  G.  Thayer* Southboro,  Mass. 

Andrew  S.  Thomson, Wenham,  Mass. 

Dr.  Harvey  P.  Towle* Boston,  Mass. 

Dr.  Chas.  W.  Townsend* "          " 

Miss  Ann  H.  Treadwell Jamaica  Plain,  Mass. 

Bayard  Tuckerman* New  Yorkv  N.  Y. 

Mrs.  Ruth  A.  Tuckerman* 

Charles  H.  Tweed " 

*  Summer  home  In  Ipswich. 


HONORARY    MEMBERS. 


125 


NON-RESIDENT  MEMBERS. 


Miss  Laura  B.  Underbill* 
Mrs.  Margaret  Wade 
Wallace  P.  Willett* 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Willett* 
Frederic  Winthrop 
Robert  D.  Winthrop 
Chalmers  Wood* 


.   New  York,  N.  Y. 

Newton,  Mass. 

East  Orange,  N.  J. 

.    Hamilton,  Mass. 
.    New  York,  N.  Y. 


HONORARY  MEMBERS. 


John  Albree,  Jr. 
Miss  Caroline  Farley 
Frank  C.  Farley 
Mrs.  Katherine  S.  Farley 
Mrs.  Eunice  W.  Felton      . 
Jesse  Fewkes    . 
Reginald  Foster 
Augustus  P.  Gardner 
Charles  L.  Goodhue 
Miss  Alice  A.  Gray 
Miss  Emily  R.  Gray 
Arthur  W.  Hale 
Albert  Farley  Heard,  2d    . 
Otis  Kimball 
Mrs.  Otis  Kimball      . 
Miss  Sarah  S.  Kimball 
Frederick  J.  Kingsbury 
Miss  Caroline  T.  Leeds 
Miss  Katherine  P.  Loring 
Mrs.  Susan  M.  Loring 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  R.  Lyman 
Josiah  H.  Mann 
Miss  Adeline  E.  Manning 
Henry  S.  Manning 
Mrs.  Mary  W.  Manning 
George  von  L.  Meyer 
Miss  Esther  Parmenter 
Mrs.  Mary  S.  C.  Peabody 
Richard  M.  Salton stall 
Denison  R.  Slade 
Joseph  Spiller 
Miss  Ellen  A.  Stone 
Harry  W.  Tyler 
Albert  Wade 
Edward  P.  Wade 
W.  F.  Warner 
George  Willcomb 


Swampscott,  Mass- 
Cambridge,  Mass. 
So.  Manchester,  Conn. 


Cambridge,  Mass. 

Newton,  Mass. 

Boston,  Mass. 

Hamilton,  Mass. 

Springfield,  Mass. 

Sauquoit,   N.Y. 


Winchester,  Mass. 
Boston,  Mass. 


Salem,  Mass. 

Water  bury,  Conn. 

Boston,  Mass. 


Brookline,  Mass. 

Ipswich,  Mass. 

Boston,  Mass. 

New  York,  N.  Y. 


St.  Petersburg,  Russia. 

Chicopee,  Mass. 

Ipswich,  Mass. 

Boston,  Mass. 

Center  Harbor,  N.  H. 

Boston,  Mass. 

East  Lexington,  Mass. 

Boston,  Mass. 

Alton,  111. 

«       it 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 
Boston,  Mass. 


*Summer  home  in  Ipswich. 


IPSWICH  IN  THE  MASSACHUSETTS  BAY  COLONY 

1633-1700 
BY  THOMAS  FRANKLIN  WATERS 

President  of  the  Ipswich  Historical  Society 
ONE  VOLUME  IN  TWO  PARTS 


PART  ONE 

I  Primeval  Agawam,  a  study  of  the  Indian  life          .         .  pp.  1-6 

II  The  Coming  of  the  English 7-20 

III  Homes  and  Dress 21-44 

IV  Some  notable  Settlers.     John  Winthrop,  Jr.,  Thomas 

Dudley,  Richard  Saltonstall,  Simon  and  Ann  Brad- 
street,  Rev.  Nathaniel  Ward,  John  Norton        .         .  45-55 
V    The  Development  of  our  Town  Government        .         .  56-67 
VI    Common  Lands  and  Commonage         ....           68-74 

VII     Trades  and  Employments 75-86 

VIII     The  Body  Politic 87-106 

IX     The  Sabbath  and  the  Meeting  House     ....       107-118 

X    The  Early  Military  Annals 119-127 

XI     The  Charter  in  Peril.  Samuel  Symonds,  Daniel  Deni- 

son,  John  Apple  ton     .  ....       128-145 

XII  The  Grammar  School  and  Harvard  College.  Ezekiel 
Cheever  and  his  successors,  and  many  famous  pupils 

of  the  Grammar  School 146-158 

XIII     King  Philip 's  War ;  contains  Major  Samuel  Apple  ton's 
military  letters  and  a  complete  list  of  the  soldiers  in 

that  war 159-224 

XIV  Ipswich  and  the  Andros  Government.  A  careful  study 
of  the  attitude  of  Ipswich  men  in  this  critical  period, 
with  many  documents,  warrants  for  arrest,  deposi 
tions,  records,  etc.  Rev.  John  Wise,  Major  Samuel 
Appleton,  John  Appleton,  Jr.,  Thomas  French,  Wil 
liam  Goodhue,  John  Andrews,  Robert  Kinsman  .  .  225-273 

XV     Laws  and  Courts 274-286 

XVI     Witchcraft  287-300 

XVII     War  of  William  and  Mary  and  other  Indian  troubles, 

with  a  list  of  soldiers  so  far  as  known    ....      301-313 

(127) 


128  IPSWICH   IN   THE   MASSACHUSETTS   BAY   COLONY. 

The  material  for  this  work  has  been  derived,  by  original 
research,  chiefly  from  the  Town  Records,  the  Records  of  the 
old  Ipswich  Quarter  Sessions  Court  and  other  Court  Records, 
the  Massachusetts  Bay  Records,  the  Massachusetts  Archives, 
and  contemporaneous  published  works,  so  far  as  possible. 
It  is  illustrated  with  facsimiles  of  ancient  documents  and 
photographs. 

PART  TWO 

is  a  study  of  the  original  land  grants  for  house  lots  on  all  the 
ancient  streets  and  lanes,  and  the  successive  owners  to  the 
present  generation,  with  diagrams,  maps,  and  photographs  of 
many  ancient  dwellings. 

The  dates  of  the  erection  of  houses  are  noted  in  many 
instances,  and  all  transfers  are  accompanied  with  citations  of 
the  Book  and  Leaf  of  the  ancient  Ipswich  Deeds  (5  volumes), 
and  the  Records  of  the  Essex  County  Registry  of  Deeds  and 
Registry  of  Probate.  Some  eighteen  hundred  citations  are 
made  from  the  original  sources,  and  these  constitute  the  sole 
authority  for  this  record  of  locations,  ownerships,  and  the 
probable  age  and  identity  of  dwellings. 

Besides  this,  there  are  seven  appendices  to  the  volume, 
giving  important  historical  material  under  the  following  heads : 
A  summary  of  the  names  of  the  first  settlers  from  1633  to 
1649;  Some  Early  Inventories;  The  Letters  of  Rev.  Nathan 
iel  Ward;  The  Letters  of  Giles  Firmin;  The  Letters  of  Sam 
uel  Symonds;  The  Valedictory  and  Monitory  Writing  left  by 
Sarah  Goodhue ;  The  Diary  of  Rev.  John  Wise,  Chaplain 
in  the  Expedition  to  Quebec.  There  is  also  a  copious  Index. 

The  book  will  be  of  particular  interest  and  importance  to 
those  who  are  of  Ipswich  ancestry,  but  all  who  dwell  in  Ips 
wich,  or  make  their  summer  homes  there,  will  find  it  a  read 
able  and  attractive  record  of  many  events,  places,  and 
persons. 


IPSWICH   IN   THE    MASSACHUSETTS    BAY    COLONY.  129 

EXTRACTS  FROM  REVIEWS  AND  LETTERS. 

(By  Bayard  Tuckerman,  Lecturer  in  English  at  Princeton  University}. 

Ipswich  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  in  some  respects  one  of  the  most  inter 
esting  and  typical  of  the  English  settlements  in  America.  The  difficulties 
to  be  encountered  by  the  early  colonists  in  subduing  the  wilderness,  in 
wringing  a  livelihood  from  an  unfruitful  soil,  in  building  up  a  civilization 
in  which  comfort  and  education  were  sought  together,  were  nowhere  greater 
and  nowhere  surmounted  with  more  courageous  energy.  The  institution 
of  town  government  and  the  intelligent  practice  of  the  principles  of  political 
liberty  are  well  exemplified  in  the  history  of  Ipswich,  while  the  bold  resist 
ance  of  her  citizens  to  the  tyranny  of  the  English  government  in  the  time 
of  Governor  Andros  has  given  her  a  claim  to  the  title  of  the  "Cradle  of 
American  Liberty"  Mr.  Waters  has  told  this  story  with  historical  insight 
and  literary  skill,  and  has  given  us  besides  a  mass  of  information  regarding 
local  customs,  transfers  of  land  and  resident  families,  which  make  his  work 
of  personal  interest  to  everyone  whose  ancestors  have  lived  in  the  township. 

As  we  turn  the  leaves  of  this  scholarly  work,  the  chapter  headings 
indicate  a  variety  of  interesting  subjects.  Political  history  is  studied 
under  "The  Development  of  our  Town  Government"  "The  Body  Politic" 
"The  Charter  in  Peril"  "Ipswich  and  the  Andros  Government."  Under 
the  heads  of  "The  Coming  of  the  English"  "Homes  and  Dress"  "Some 
Notable  Settlers"  "Trades  and  Employments,"  we  find  a  rich  fund  of 
information  regarding  the  early  inhabitants  and  the  lives  they  led.  In 
the  chapter  dealing  with  "The  Sabbath  and  the  Meeting  House"  with 
the  melancholy  accompaniment  of  "Witchcraft,"  the  austere  religious 
life  of  the  early  times  is  depicted.  The  relations  of  the  settlers  to  the  Indians 
are  described  under  "Primeval  Agawam"  "King  Philip's  War"  and  the 
"War  of  William  and  Mary."  The  determination  of  the  colonists  to 
provide  education  for  their  children  is  shown  in  the  article  on  "The  Gram 
mar  School  and  Harvard  College."  Other  interesting  chapters  deal  with 
the  "Laws  and  Courts"  and  with  the  curiousjnstitution  of  the  "Common 
Lands  and  Commonage. ' ' 

The  second  portion  of  the  work  contains  an  account  of  the  ownership 
and  transfer  of  lands  and  houses  which  is  the  fruit'of  research,  of  remarkable 
industry  and  accuracy.  No  one  whose  family  has  owned  property  within 
the  bounds  of  Ipswich  can  fail  to  find  facts  of  interest  to  him  here.  The 
names  of  early  settlers  are  given  in  full  and  there  are  a  number  of  inven 
tories  illustrative  of  the  character  of  personal  property  held  and  transmitted. 
The  letters  of  Rev.  Nathaniel  Ward,  of  Dr.  Giles  Firmin,  and  of  Samuel 
Symonds,  the  writings  of  Sarah  Goodhue,  and  the  narrative  of  the  Rev. 
John  Wise,  all  of  great  antiquarian  interest,  are  given  in  the  Appendix. 

Thirty-five  excellent  illustrations,  and  an  Index  which  forms  a  com 
plete  guide  to  all  the  names  and  subjects  mentioned,  add  greatly  to  the 
value  of  the  work. 


130  IPSWICH   IN   THE    MASSACHUSETTS    BAY   COLONY. 

This  history  of  Ipswich  is  the  result  of  such  painstaking  and  intelligent 
research,  and  is  written  in  so  attractive  a  style,  that  it  cannot  fail  to  appeal 
to  all  persons  who  have  any  connection  with  the  town.  Whoever  lives 
in  Ipswich  or  whose  ancestors  lived  here,  should  have  a  copy  among  his 
books.  He  will  find  pleasure  in  reading  it,  and  profit  in  possessing  it  for 
reference. 

BAYARD  TUCKERMAN. 

(From    the    Boston    Transcript.) 

A  most  important  addition  to  the  literature  of  New  England  history 
is  made  by  Mr.  Thomas  Franklin  Waters  in  this  volume.  Ipswich  —  the 
Agawam  of  270  years  ago  —  is  one  of  the  most  picturesque  towns  in  the 
Commonwealth,  and  aside  from  its  attractions  of  location  and  scenery,  is 
particularly  rich  in  historical  associations.  No  town  in  its  early  conditions 
more  accurately  typifies  early  New  England  life,  and  in  the  narrative  of 
its  struggles  and  development  may  be  read  that  of  a  score  of  other  settle 
ments  of  the  same  period.  ' '  I  have  tried, ' '  says  Mr.  Waters  in  his  preface, 
"to  tell  accurately,  but  in  readable  fashion,  the  story  of  the  builders  of 
our  town,  their  homes  and  home  life,  their  employments,  their  Sabbath- 
keeping,  their  love  of  learning,  their  administration  of  town  affairs,  their 
stern  delusions,  their  heroism  in  war  and  in  resistance  to  tyranny."  To 
anyone  familiar  with  the  beautiful  old  town  the  book  will  have  all  the 
fascination  of  a  romance. 

(From  a  Review  by  the  New  York  Daily  Tribune.) 

The  president  of  the  Ipswich  Historical  Society  has  prepared  in  this 
volume  a  model  of  its  kind.  He  tells  in  thoroughly  entertaining  fashion 
the  history  of  this  early  Colonial  town  —  the  Agawam  of  Indians  —  and 
he  adds  in  Part  II  such  a  detailed  account  of  its  houses  and  lands  as  must 
ever  be  of  value  to  all  connected  by  ties  of  blood  or  property  with  Ipswich. 
Photographs  of  the  many  ancient  houses  which  survive,  together  with 
maps,  diagrams  and  facsimiles  illustrate  and  elucidate  the  text. 

The  story  of  the  town  holds  so  much  of  the  struggle,  the  tragedy  and 
the  quaintness  of  seventeenth  century  life  in  the  colony  that  it  would  have 
been  difficult  to  make  it  other  than  interesting. 

The  services  of  Ipswich  men  in  King  Philip's  War  and  their  sturdy 
protest  against  the  usurpation  of  the  Andros  government  are  chronicled 
here,  and  are  not  to  be  forgotten  by  Americans.  In  the  resistance  to  what 
she  considered  an  unjust  tax,  Ipswich  may  claim  a  high  place  among  the 
earliest  supporters  of  the  right  of  self  government. 

(From  a  letter,  written  by  C.  B.  Tillinghast,  State  Librarian  of  Massachusetts). 

"The  story  of  the  founders  of  Ipswich  which  you  have  told  with  so 
much  detail  and  skill  in  the  first  half  of  the  volume,  is  of  course  in  large 


IPSWICH   IN    THE    MASSACHUSETTS    BAY    COLONY.  131 

degree  the  story  of  the  early  life  of  the  settlers  in  other  parts  of  the  Colony 
and  this  study,  which  you  have  founded  with  such  pains-taking  accuracy 
largely  upon  original  and  documentary  sources  of  information  makes  the 
volume  of  the  widest  general  interest  to  all,  who  have  an  interest  in  the 
early  settlers  and  their  mode  of  life.  This  feature  of  the  book  it  seems  to 
me,  is  unequalled  by  any  other  available  publication  and  should  commend 
it  to  the  favorable  attention  of  all  libraries. 

The  topographical  study  which  forms  the  latter  portion  of  the  book, 
is  a  model  of  what  such  a  study  should  be,  and  in  this  respect,  Ipswich 
territory  is  of  special  interest. 

"You  have  made  in  this  volume  a  contribution  to  the  local,  the  funda 
mental  history  of  the  Commonwealth,  which  few,  if  any  volumes  equal 
and  none  excel." 


(From  George  H.  Martin,  Secretary  of  the  State  Board  of  Education  of 

Massachusetts . ) 

I  have  examined  with  care  the  whole  of  your  new  book  on  Ipswich, 
and  I  have  read  with  increasing  interest  as  much  as  time  would  allow.  It 
is  a  great  book  and  will  prove  of  immense  service  to  all  students  of  early 
colonial  history. 

I  do  not  think  I  have  found  anywhere  so  vivid  a  picture  presented  of 
Puritan  town  life  in  all  its  phases  as  you  have  given.  The  thorough  way 
in  which  you  have  handled  the  matter  of  land  grants  is  a  model  for  all 
local  historians. 

I  congratulate  you  heartily  upon  having  made  an  addition  to  the  local 
history  of  New  England,  which: is  unsurpassed  in  the  choice  of  matter,  and 
in  the  felicity  of  its  presentation. 

(From  The  Nation,  New  York.) 

In  one  feature,  at  least,  this  ample  and  handsomely  printed  work 
surpasses  any  other  town  history  that  we  have  ever  encountered.  We 
refer  to  that  portion  of  the  second  half  which  deals  with  "Houses 
and  Lands,"  and  which,  with  the  aid  of  a  diagram,  traces  the  for 
tunes  of  each  dwelling  and  lot  of  the  original  settler  nominatim  not 
only  to  1700,  but  to  the  present  day.  This  enormous  labor  is  for 
tified  by  the  citation  of  wills  and  deeds,  and  the  result  is  a  firm  base 
for  all  future  researches.  It  is  supplemented  by  a  summary  of  the 
names  of  the  settlers  from  1633  to  1649,  with  the  year  in  which  each 
n;ime  first  occurs  in  the  town  records,  and  by  some  sample  inventories 
of  personal  effects.  Other  remarkable  lists  of  the  early  inhabitants  have 
been  constructed  for  the  chapter  entitled  "The  Body  Politic;"  and  show 
that  out  of  an  enrolled  male  population  in  1678  totalling  508,  there  were 
220  commoners  and  125  freemen  (17  of  these  not  being  commoners).  The 
freemen  alone  were  entitled  to  vote  for  the  officers  and  magistrates  of 


132 


IPSWICH   IN  THE    MASSACHUSETTS   BAY   COLONY. 


the  Colony  and  to  speak  and  vote  in  town  meeting ;  the  commoners  might 
vote  on  all  questions  relating  to  the  common  lands ;  the  residue,  so-called 
Resident,  were  eligible  for  jury  duty  and  to  vote  for  selectmen. 

Mr.  Waters 's  historical  treatment  is  episodical  and  is  very  pleasingly 
manifested  in  the  opening  chapters  on  the  aborigines  as  described  by 
the  first  Englishmen  and  on  home  and  dress.  These  themes  are  in 
vested  with  a  really  fresh  interest,  and  set  forth  with  noticeable  literary 
skill. 

Much  remains  to  be  said  or  sayable,  but  we  must  stay  our  hand. 
Mr.  Waters 's  work,  which  we  hope  he  will  follow  up  for  later  times,  as  he 
half  promises,  takes  its  place  in  the  front  rank  of  its  class,  and  can 
hardly  be  praised  too  highly  for  diligent  research,  candor,  taste,  style  and 
construction. 

It  will  be  found  to  be  of  particular  value  to  the  New  England  fami- 


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and  many  others. 


Price.     Five  dollars,  net.     Postage,     Thirty-six  cents. 


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